Now That You Know
by C.A. Crest
Summary: After a crazy first quest I was hoping to have a little normalcy this summer with my boyfriend, but Camp Half Blood doesn't exactly do normal. Now a new threat is beginning and my friends and I are the ones chosen to stop it. Then there's parental issues all around to deal with. Why couldn't I have gone to a regular camp like other kids? Second installment of The Knowing series.
1. Not so Lazy Days of Summer

**C.A. Crest: Hello again loyal readers and new readers who have just come upon my story. I'm so happy to be back and writing more about Sarah and her crazy life, I know many of you are too. I won't keep you waiting so I'll just skip to what's important. _(Clears throat)_ I own nothing of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, all rights go the fabulous and more awesome than Zeus writer Rick Riordan. Now here it is, the long awaited first chapter of 'Now That You Know'!**

Chapter One: Not so Lazy Days of Summer

_Clang!_

_Clang!_

_Clang!_

"You got to do better than that Winters!" I taunted as I raised my sword once again to deflect another blow from Nick's sword.

Another swing, another block. "I'm just going easy on you Sunshine, if I beat you too quickly things would get real boring real fast." he smiled as he lunged again.

_Clang!_

_Clang!_

"So what's the excuse for the other five times I've kicked your sorry butt?" I wasn't even out of breath yet, but neither was Nick. Despite all my jokes and teases the guy was picking up skills very fast. But what can you expect out of a demigod? This was what we were born to do.

"Just lulling you into a false sense of security."

Rolling my eyes, but smiling non the less, I decided to stop playing the defensive and started attacking. Nick didn't last long.

_Clang!_

_Cl-_

Twisting the sword at just the right angle and then thrusting upward, Nick's sword sailed out of his hand and flew across the arena. I lazily twirled my sword around in my hand with a smirk plastered on my face. Normally I would feel bad being this smug, but Nick knew it was all in good fun and that I didn't think of him any less for losing. It was just that this was just the one thing I could do better than most at this camp and I took great pride in it.

"Let's call it a day, lunch is going to be starting soon."

He nodded wiping off sweat from his forehead, I did the same. Early July on the East Coast wasn't as hot as some other places, but it was still ungodly. Usually Nick would be training with the Hermes kids, but his cabin had been completed a few days ago and now that he was on his own he just stuck with me and Pollux as we did our training. Percy sometimes joined us too if he wasn't too busy. I brushed a few loose wisps of hair out of my face. My hair was dark by nature and back in middle school I had dyed it mostly blue and purple. Normally I wore it in a ponytail, but seeing as my hair was just getting longer and longer I switched it up. Now my multicolored hair was worn in a low braid that hung over my left shoulder. Gotta say I'm liking the new look. Nico likes it too.

It's been three weeks since Gwen, Sophie, and I had come back from our quest with Nick safe and sound. Not much has changed around the camp except for Nick's new cabin and the gossip about Nico and I becoming a couple. You would think that almost a month later people would find something else to talk about. But like I said, not much changes here. Well, there were some other changes too, but not all of them pleasant.

Depending on the week or even the day sometimes, Mr. D's attitude towards me would be different. A couple of days after our argument he watched me like a hawk. During meals, when I was training, my visits to Rachel, and even my alone time with Nico, I could always feel his gaze even if I didn't always see him. That happened for a few more days until he decided to ignore once again. Then some days he was indifferent, others he was hostile, and then he was quiet. The whole cycle would repeat itself with seldom changes. Pollux noticed too, but he was smart enough to pick up on my moods and stay silent.

Walking back to our cabins to change out of our sweaty clothes was nice. Nick and I had a lot in common and we knew how to get on each others nerves playfully. It was great to have a guy friend other than Percy and the twins. We parted ways and I headed to my cabin, overrun with vines as usual. Inside the cabin was a little small and sparse, but how much room did two campers need anyway? There wasn't much to do inside, but sleeping was all I did in here recently. Ever since coming back it seemed that the entire camp was becoming busier. Training sessions lasted longer, fun activities more spread out, and games like capture the flag had become a little too real for me. Apparently demigods didn't know how to do a summer right. Chilling at the beach, shopping trips at the mall, taking hikes up in the forest, cook outs in the evenings, and all the other stereotypical things teens were supposed to be doing.

Hearing the call for lunch I quickly changed into a pair of blue jean cut offs, a v-neck red shirt with the phrase 'KEEP CALM AND FIGHT ON', and my black all star high tops. I did a fast re-braiding of my hair before looking in the mirror. The girl in the mirror was not someone I would have recognized last month. This girl had a light tan while still rocking a pale complexion. This girl had more toned muscles on her arms and some scars too. This girl didn't hide behind purple tinted sunglasses, her eyes were showing and so bright. Most importantly this girl had an aura of confidence that seemed so far out of reach to me. If not for the odd hair, I wouldn't realize this girl was me. I took one last look before I turned and walked out the door.

**~Page Break~**

Meals at camp Half Blood were never dull affairs. Between the sheer number of campers, coupled with the fact we all have ADHD, meals are loud and interactive. Glancing over my shoulder I saw Miley and Hayden prepping for a food war with the Demeter kids. Luckily for the rest of us the cabins were on somewhat good terms. Katie Gardner, head of cabin four also known as the Demeter cabin, was not one for pranks. Or, at least, she wasn't until her and Travis started dating. Now she took them all with grace while she still yelled at her boyfriend. Katie also seemed to be fond of Miley and Hayden so she gave them more leeway than all the other Hermes kids combined. This food war would make excellent entertainment.

Turning back to my own table Pollux was chowing down on his turkey sandwich and still tried to talk to me. Ew, I guess guys really didn't get the whole 'don't talk with your mouth full' thing. When he finally did swallow I was able to make out his words.

"So I think I've found a way to channel your powers of insanity." he said brightly. He knew that for weeks I had come up with nothing to control it. For all I knew I was a ticking time bomb waiting for some unfortunate soul to cross me at the wrong time.

I raised my eyebrows in curiosity, a little flicker of hope lit in my chest. "Oh? What did you have in mind?"

"Meditation. Sense you can't actually practice on someone, maybe just trying to contain it inside your head would be best. Then you could learn to focus the power when you need it."

"I blinked once, then twice. "Pollux...that's not half bad. In fact I think it's crazy enough to work."

He pouted a little, but I could tell it was playful. "Why the tone of surprise? Do you think I'm not smart enough to come up with that by myself?"

I laughed. "You're plenty smart Pollux, I just can't believe I didn't think of it. How did you come up with that?" I took a sip of my Diet Coke.

"Dad gave me the suggestion." he said bluntly.

I choked on my drink. After a round of coughs that drew the attention of a few nearby tables I managed to breathe normally again. Glaring at my half brother, who had the decency to look slightly abashed, I growled. "What?"

For his credit Pollux held his ground and met my glare head on with his own. We weren't matched, not by a long shot, but he didn't look away.

"You need help Sarah and you're too stubborn to go to the one person who could help, who _wants _to help."

I snorted. "Gee, I'm stubborn, wonder where I get that from?" Looking down to my half eaten grilled chicken sandwich I didn't feel very hungry anymore. "Look Pollux, thanks for the help, but I have to go." I picked up my plate and got up.

"Sarah wait!" he tried to get me to sit back down, but I stepped back.

"I'll see you later tonight at the campfire." I said dismissively before turning on my heel and leaving the Mess Hall, throwing my uneaten lunch away on the way out.

Was I being stubborn, yep, one of my best and worst traits all in one. My mom always said to stick to what you believe in and don't let others try and sway you. So I learned from a young age to dig my heels in, I always thought I got it from her. But after seeing Mr. D I knew how wrong I'd been. I knew on some level I was behaving like a three year old who wasn't getting her way, but I couldn't bring myself to care. In my mind, he was getting everything he deserved. Now he was the one being ignored and avoided and apparently that didn't suit him at all.

After pulling out of my thoughts I found myself at the entrance to Rachel's Lair and I let myself in. For some reason Rachel didn't always come out for meals and today had been no different. Walking down the hall until I came upon the cloth I pulled it back. Rachel Elizabeth Dare was the Oracle of Delphi and was the person who foretold of prophecies. It was Rachel who presented me my first and only quest this summer and she had become a good friend. Her weirdness and love for all things artsy made her easy to get along with and kept our conversations interesting. Rachel's home at camp was a tricked out, totally modern cave that housed a flat screen television, a four poster bed, a leather couch, and a bunch of her small possessions. I found said Oracle laying on the couch, staring off into space.

"Earth to Rachel, Earth to Rachel, do you copy? Over." I covered my mouth slightly to complete the impression which earned me a smile from the redhead.

"Hey Batgirl, what's up?"

"Funny, I was about to ask you that very same question. You were just staring at nothing rather intensely, what give's Dare?"

She shrugged. "I had a feeling before you came in, I guess I just zoned out."

That got my attention. "A feeling? I'm not about to go on another quest am I?" Sure the first one had been a success, but I just wanted to try and have a normal rest of the summer at camp. Another quest was not on my things to do list.

Thankfully she shook her head. "No, not a quest, just a feeling about you. I think you're going somewhere soon." her eyes took on a glassy shine. "And it's important. Keep your emotions in check."

"Rachel?"

Sudden her eyes were wide and alert with life once again, her normal hyper attitude kicked back in. "I'm starving! You want something to eat? I have some ice cream in my mini fridge."

Deciding to store that weird information away for later I trailed after the redhead future seer. Ice cream did sound good, especially after a day like this.

"Are there rainbow sprinkles?"

**C.A, Crest: There you have it! Chapter one of the next part done. Review and tell me what you think.**


	2. My Inner Voice is Named Alice

Chapter Two: My Inner Voice is Named Alice

Despite my conversation with Pollux earlier, I decided to to skip the camp fire that night. After spending time with Rachel I couldn't get over her cryptic warning. It wasn't a quest, thank the immortals, but it hadn't been a fleeting feeling either. Something was coming up and I felt like I needed to be prepared. So instead of doing one of the few normal activities this camp had to offer, I stayed inside my cabin. I dimmed the lights and lit some candles that I had gotten from the camp store on my way back from Rachel's Lair. I don't know why I did, but in every movie I've ever seen where people meditate there are always candles being used. They were nothing special, just two simple white candles that had a hint of a vanilla scent.

I sat crossed legged on the floor beside my bed and placed a candle on each side. I laid my arms flat against my legs and slowly closed my eyes. How was this thing suppose to work anyway? For fifteen minutes I tried to close my mind off and not think about anything. Nothing happened. I sighed and opened my eyes. Maybe I was going about this the wrong way. Closing my eyes again I relaxed my body, but instead of clearing my thoughts I focused them. I searched my memory for the fight against the Keres. Emotions ran through my mind. Panic, fear, helplessness, and then I searched for that feeling of power. The pressure that had taken root in me when the monster had started to strangle me was like nothing else. It had been both intense and soothing, as though it was always a part of me, just a part that had been snoozing away until I needed it. Now, after weeks of trying to avoid the power I dug deep, trying to find it once again. I felt something shift inside me, but in an instant it was gone, no matter how hard I tried to grab onto it.

Snapping my eyes open I let out a frustrated groan. I had never been mistaken for a patient person and I really hated it when I couldn't pick up on things right away. Was I a perfectionist? A little, but mainly it was the fact that things tended to come easy to me and when something didn't it bothered me to no end. Deciding to stop for the night before I gave myself a major headache I blew out the candles and got up. If I left now I could still enjoy the rest of the night at the campfire. I walked to the cabin's door and opened it.

Camp Half Blood was gone.

In front of me wasn't the sight of the other cabins, campers walking around, or the occasional sprite that came from the forest. No, in front of me was something much weirder.

A long hallway lay before me, the walls made of a dark stone and had no windows. Instead they held torches like in really old castles. I stepped out to make sure I wasn't being punked. The floor beneath my feet was covered in a deep red carpet and certainly didn't feel like a hallucination. This place was giving me the creeps so I turned around to go back inside my cabin only to find a wall of the same dark stone as the rest of the hallway.

"What the freak?" I muttered. Feeling the wall with my hands confirmed what I feared, the wall was solid and most definitely not a prank. Turning around to face the hallway once more I sighed. "Guess there's no place to go, but forward."

Wishing I had my sword with me I began walking. The hallway was plain and very unoriginal in my opinion, there wasn't anything to look at! But I did notice that the hallway was coming to it's end when a door that I didn't see earlier appeared at the end. The door was made of dark wood and had a glass doorknob. It was a very classy door. Turning the knob I opened the door and stepped through.

Thankfully there wasn't another hallway, but a small room that resembled a sitting room of some kind. The walls were creamed colored and had drapes on them even though there were still no windows and a small table sat in the middle of the room with two wooden chairs. One chair was occupied.

By me.

Or someone who looked a lot like me.

The young woman didn't look up from the magazine she was reading, instead she kept flipping through it as though I hadn't come in at all. She had my face, purple eyes and all, but everything else seemed off about her. Instead of my long purple and blue hair she had short dark hair with my natural color. It was slightly curly and gave her an appearance of someone older than sixteen. Her skin was the same pale tone as mine, but was smoother and flawless. Her outfit consisted of dark blue skinny jeans, a pair of black high heels, and a tight white t-shirt covered with a trendy purple blazer. All in all this girl looked like me, but someone I knew was not me, I mean, _I'm _me so _she _couldn't be.

This had to be a dream or something.

"It's not, but then it wouldn't be as fun then would it?" the 'not me' said, still not looking up from her reading.

My eyes widened in shock. Did I say that out loud?

"No you didn't, but seeing as where we are your thoughts are heard loud and clear, well by me anyway. If you have something to say then you might as well say it. I'll hear it either way." she smirked and finally put down the magazine, focusing those undeniably purple eyes at me.

"Who are you? Why can you hear my thoughts? Where the hell am I?" I fired off each question as soon as it entered my head.

"Why don't you take a seat Sarah? Having a conversation from the doorway is a little rude don't you think?" she gestured to the only other chair in the room, right next to hers.

I really didn't feel like sitting, but I did want her to answer my questions. So without a word I walked over and sat down, the chair was surprisingly comfortable for a being made of wood. The me look alike smiled as she stirred her coffee that came from no where. This was just getting more odd.

"To answer your questions you are where you put yourself, inside your own head." she said as she sipped her drink.

I scoffed at that. "Where am I really?"

At that she raised her eyebrows in a challenge. "Oh sure, you can talk to death and wine gods from inside your dreams, but you can't travel into the realm of your own mind. That would just be crazy." she said sarcastically.

I deflated a little bit. "Alright, maybe it's not totally impossible for me to be...inside my own head." Although saying that out loud sure made me feel crazy. "But how did I get here?"

"Through your meditation of course. You wanted to find your power over insanity to learn how to control right?" At my nod she continued. "Well it's not unheard of for demigods to be able to travel into their own subconscious, it just takes the right person with the right motivation. It also helps that insanity is linked with the mind, so you have a slightly higher advantage than others."

I processed the information and stored it away for later, hoping that Sophia might know something about it. "Is that why you can hear what I'm thinking? Because we're inside my head?"

She tapped her nose. "Right on the dot"

"Next question. Who are you? You look like me, but that's not possible right?"

"Well, I can neither confirm or deny that I am indeed you. Simply put, I am you because I exist inside your head. I'm your conscious, your inner voice, or the way I like to view it, the person you'll eventually develop into."

That was confusing. "So you're the me of the future?"

"Not exactly. More so I'm the version of you that has had the opportunity to learn from your past mistakes through your inner mind and grow into a more mature state of mind. One that you will eventually grow into. With time that is."

"Then why do you look so much older than me?"

She smiled widely at that. "Age is but a state of mind. Luckily for you, I am very mature, but can be a little crazy at times. Best of both worlds I suppose."

I rubbed my head trying to take it all in, this was just too strange!

"I feel like I fell down the rabbit hole."

"Don't we all sometimes?" Not Me said with a crazy grin on her face.

Shrugging I looked at her and another question popped into my head. "What do I call you? Sarah Two? Oh! How about Jiminy?"

She laughed at that. "Sorry, but I'm no cricket. How about you call me Alice?"

"Alice?"

"You did mention falling down a rabbit hole. I think it's appropriate."

"As long as you're okay with it."

She went to sip her coffee again when the entire room started shaking! Could earthquakes happen inside my subconscious?

"What's happening?!" I yelled as I grabbed my chair for some kind of support. Alice just remained unfazed as she grabbed her magazine from falling off the shaking table.

"You're being pulled out of your meditation, it's not serious." she said with a bored voice.

"Wait! I can't go, I never figured out how to control my power."

"Oh don't worry, that takes time. We'll see each other again when you meditate, but I'd lose the candles. They really don't do anything except catch you on fire while your occupied in here." she said with a grin.

I closed my eyes for just a second, but when I opened them back up I was no longer in the sitting room. I was once again sitting crossed legged on the floor of my cabin. Looking around I found no trace of Alice anywhere, everything was exactly the same as before I meditated. Well, except for one thing, one more person had joined me in the cabin.

"Sarah! Thank gods you're awake." Pollux was kneeling next to me, his hand on my shoulder. I had a feeling he had been shaking me.

"Of course I'm awake, I'm fine." I said as he backed off, but looked no less worried.

"I came looking for you after you bailed on the campfire. You didn't move when I came in and when I tried talking to you you didn't say anything, you were hardly breathing! After I shook you a couple times you finally came out of it. What gives?"

I opened my mouth ready to tell him everything, but I quickly shut it again. As much as I liked Pollux and had gotten accustomed to seeing him as my older brother, I just couldn't tell him about Alice or my mind trip. Because everything I told Pollux some how got back to Mr. D and that was the absolute last thing I wanted. So I go for an oldie but goody, a bold face lie.

"I was meditating and I kind of fell asleep, I think I trained a little too hard today and my body just decided to doze off. I didn't mean to scare you."

That made the tension in his shoulders lessen, but he still looked dispassionately at my candles.

"How about next time you don't light these? I'd rather not come back to the entire place on fire if you fall asleep again."

"Fair enough." Looks like he agreed with Alice on that point. "So anything interesting happen at the campfire?"

His smile vanished and his entire body tensed. Pollux was not happy about something and it was bothering him. He sat down and crossed his arms looking at me dead in the eye.

"Yeah, everyone was talking about the newest gossip." he said in an eerily calm voice that I knew meant he was pissed, but I had no clue at what. Then his eyes narrowed. "What is going on between you and Nick Winters?"

**C.A. Crest: (_Insert your favorite dramatic music here_) I thought to leave you all with a cliff hanger here for kicks and simply because my mind didn't want to write anymore. Until next time. Keep calm and read on.**


	3. Word Through the Grapevine

Chapter Three: Word Through the Grapevine

I blinked. "What?" I figured that my brain was still a little off from my impromptu visit inside my own head, I must have heard him wrong.

"You heard me. What's going on between you and Winters?"

Nope, still the same question as before. His face was serious, not a single twitch to his lips that could tell me he was trying not to laugh, it was an honest question.

And it pissed me off royal.

"What the hell! There is nothing, and I mean _nothing_,going on between me and Nick. We're friends and that's it!"

For a minute Pollux just looked at me, I could see the wheels in his head turning, thinking. Then his face relaxed and he unfolded his arms. He looked appeased.

"That's really good to hear. I really didn't believe there was something going on because, well, I've seen you and Nico together." his face went a little red and his eyes adverted away.

I rolled mine. "Pollux. You walked in on us _once _and we weren't even doing anything except kissing. Geez you're worse than Mr. D. You act like we were throwing down on the floor."

His face went a little redder and it took the edge off my anger. Just seeing him uncomfortable was a little funny. "Please don't ever say that again, you'll give me nightmares. Anyway, like I said, I didn't really believe it. You're not the type to cheat on you're boyfriend."

"Then why did you have to ask?"

He shrugged. "Just because you know something isn't true doesn't mean you don't want to hear it confirmed."

Okay, so he had a decent excuse. "Who even told you that? Everyone at this camp knows me and Nico are together, hell, we're the main gossip around here most days." Much to my displeasure.

"As much as people like to gossip about the truth, they love it more to spread lies. What can I say, people are stupid when they're bored. And I'm pretty sure that the gossip came from the Aphrodite cabin."

It took a second for my brain to process his words.

"WHAT?!"

He nodded. "Helena from the Athena cabin told me and she heard it from Kenny of the Demeter cabin who heard it from an Ares kid and then-"

"Please" I cut in, not wanting to know exactly how many people this had gone through. "just tell me who started it."

He looked at me with a 'I can't believe you haven't figured it out yet' look. " Drew."

That one name set my anger through the roof. Drew Tanaka and I never got along. Tall, beautiful, and a power to bend others to her will (especially guys), the Asian girl and I had been enemies from day one. We met due to a chance meeting after I talked to Gwen one night, she threatened me after I didn't fall for her charms and I returned the threat. Only difference is that I was fully ready to punch her lights out and she easily backed off. It was the same night I met Sophia for the first time and we became friends. It gave Drew more of a reason to hate me. When I asked Sophia to go on the quest against the mean girl's wishes it made things worse between us. But since I got back we hadn't crossed paths that much. So what the hell did I do to set the drama queen off? Or was the silence just the calm before the storm?

I got to my feet and stomped towards the door. "I'll be back later."

When I grabbed my sword Pollux walked towards me. "Sarah, stop to think for a minute. Just calm down."

"Calm down? Never tell a girl to calm down, men always tell us to calm down and it just makes us angrier!" My voice rising slightly at the end. Was I furious? Not really. Annoyed. Oh yes. Was I really going to run my sword through Drew? No, but she didn't need to know that. And neither did Pollux.

"Just don't do anything stupid." he sighed in defeat. I gave him a smirk.

"I'm a lot of things Pollux. Clever, smart, an incredible sword fighter, a kick ass player of Pac Man-"

"Not to mention humble." Pollux said with a grin.

"And the list goes on, but stupid I'm not and never have been."

I walked out the door into the night, my sights on the Aphrodite cabin.

**~Page Break~**

The Aphrodite cabin always hurt my eyes to look at. It was overly pink and reminded me strongly of Barbie's dream house minus the pink convertible. A white fence lined the cabin and sweet smelling flowers littered the ground. To the naked eye it appeared to be sweet, charming, and harmless to approach. It made my stomach churn just looking at it. I decided to just get it over with and quickly made it to the door and knocked rapidly. The door swung open.

A somewhat tall girl stood in the doorway, her tan skin and golden hair seemed to radiate light. Her skin was flawless and even in her hello kitty pajamas she was still effortlessly breathtaking, this coming from someone who was so _not_ into girls that way. Sophia Gilmore, however, was more than just looks. In the short time we've known each other she proved herself to be not only beautiful, but impressively intelligent. Not to mention deadly with the right weapon. The Princess of the Aphrodite cabin smiled as she realized I was there.

"Sarah! What brings you by?" she asked as she stepped out of her cabin and closed the door.

I crossed my arms. "Oh I don't know Sophia, why don't you tell me. Or better yet, you can tell someone else and it will eventually get to me, once the entire camp knows first." I snap. Yes, I know Sophia isn't the one responsible for the gossip, but it seems that she wasn't putting a stop to it either.

Her body sagged and she leaned against the door. "Who told you?"

"Pollux." I try to keep calm, not wanting to vent my anger out except on the one person who deserved it. "Had the nerve to ask if I was cheating on Nico."

Her eyes snapped into focus. "He did?"

I nodded. "He didn't believe it anyway, he just wanted to ask me to be sure. But what I want to know is why this happened in the first place. What did I do to piss off the royal bitch?" Before coming to camp I never swore so much. Then again, before coming here I'd never been so emotional or open.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure, you'll have to ask her yourself. She's in the bathroom now, yanked poor little Tilly right out of it with half of her make up still on."

What? "Why is she still doing that? Shouldn't you stop her?"

"I can't."

"Yes you can! Tell her to knock it off, you're the head of the cabin now aren't you?" I say as if it were obvious.

Here at camp we have different forms of leadership. After the first war Percy became leader of the camp, something that no one, not even the Ares kids protested. Even still, the cabins have their heads, usually it's someone who's either the oldest, been here the longest, or the one who's been on the most quests. Drew being the oldest one in the Aphrodite cabin was the leader (dictator) by default. However, since Sophia went on our quest and came back alive, she had a right to challenge Drew for it. I thought she already had.

"I know I'm the leader." her eyes lowered to the ground. "The day, no, the very _hour_ Gwen gave me the go ahead on my arm I walked right up to her and challenged her. She didn't even try to fight me, she just gave me a glare and submitted. Drew knows I can beat her, so instead of being humiliated in a fight she handed over the leadership with only a few choice words."

"So what's the problem? You are in charge now, go tell her to drop the attitude."

Sophia shook her head. "Sarah, you don't understand."

"Then make me understand!" I yelled and I didn't give a damn if the whole camp heard me, let alone Drew.

Her next words I barely heard. "My mom told me not to interfere. Not with Drew."  
Her mom? Aphrodite.

"She said that it was alright to take leadership of the cabin, but to not get in Drew's way. She said that it wasn't my job to do it."

"That doesn't make any sense! As leader of a cabin, that very title makes it your job to deal with your siblings. She told you a major contradiction."

All she did was nod. "I know that. However, she is my mom and I will listen to her...for now. I trust her even if she's being vague."

I scoffed. "Do you really think listening to her will work?"

It took only a split second after I said it to realize that I shouldn't have. Sophia's head snapped up and her eyes glared into mine.

"Just because your relationship with your parent is horrible doesn't mean that mine would steer me wrong Sarah."

"That's not what I meant." I tried to back track, but she wouldn't have it.

"Yes it is. Just because you and your dad have a crap relationship, because you can't trust what he tells you, doesn't mean the rest of the gods and their kids are the same!"

She turned on her heel and opened the door back up, she stepped inside and threw me one last hateful look. "The world doesn't revolve around you, you know. The rest of us have lives too."

The door slammed in my face.

**Crest: And there you are folks! This chapter might not be very good, but I needed it out of the way for the next chapter and how it needed to be set up. I really want to thank all of you who have reviewed/favorited/followed the story so far. I know you guys have lots of questions left over from the first story and I do intend to answer them over the course of the story. Please be patient with the timing of my updates and keep reading! **


	4. Talking to Yourself is Perfectly Normal

_**(Peeks out from behind a corner)**_

**Crest: Hey guys! Sorry for such a long wait but I had to move my base of operations again and then settling in got complicated. But never fear! I'm back and ready for more awesome updates. Now before we get on with the next chapter I want to take a moment and remind all who lay eyes on their screens that I claim absolutely no ownership over the Percy Jackson series. I only claim my own story line and original characters. All rights go to the more awesome than Zeus writer Rick R. All right, onward!**

Chapter Four: Talking to Yourself is Perfectly Normal

"I am a selfish person. True or False?"

Alice took a long sip of her coffee before answering, her face serious. "Gray."

"That's not answering my question." I say irritated.

"Yes it is, it's a perfectly vague but correct answer. So shut up."

Talking to Alice was a real headache, however at the moment, she was all I had.

It's been a few days since the scene at the Aphrodite cabin and Sophia has avoided me. And if I were to be completely honest I'm not too keen on talking to her at the moment either. After she yelled at me and basically called me self absorbed and insensitive I didn't have it in me to face her and not chew her out. I know for a fact I'm not self absorbed. All my life my mom told me that it's okay to think about your own well being, but it's more important to want to help others with theirs. I've volunteered at soup kitchens, been apart of every food can drive my school had started, raised money for charity, and helped teach sign language to kids whose own family members were deaf and they need to learn how to communicate with them. It was tiring work with long hours and hardly any recognition.

And I loved every minute of it.

So no, I know for a fact I think about others, more often than myself at times. I guess from her viewpoint though, she thought she was right. The entire time Sophia has known me she's only seen one side of me. My worst side brought out by my rough relationship with my absentee father whose own moodiness could put even Mother Teresa off her tea. From what she's only seen, I guess thinking me self absorbed isn't jumping the gun too much. I mean, when had I ever asked her about her relationship with her mom? Sure I knew a little about her dad the pilot and from what I've seen and heard they have a pretty good daddy/daughter thing going on. But no, I had no clue if she even talked with her mom. From what she yelled at me, apparently they talk and have descent communication. It's only ever been about me and never about anyone else. She was clearly wrong.

So why did I feel like this? Feel so...guilty?

I've never asked Gwen about Apollo. Growing up with her I knew that despite the fact she knew about her dad and he had claimed her that Gwen always felt complete with just her mom. Who could blame her? Ms. Keller was awesome just like my mom was.

I've avoided talking to Nico about his dad because I knew he wouldn't appreciate it. Not that they hate each other anymore, but it wasn't perfect. Nico still had a few things to sort out with Hades and it would still take more than helping save Olympus from falling to fix it.

I only knew very little about Percy and his dad, though I knew they got along well. Poseidon even liked Percy's step dad, a guy named Paul.

Annabeth didn't talk about her dad much, but her and Athena had a good relationship. She was a backwards case, but it still counted.

I know I'm not the only one with a life, but I've never really gone out of my way to try and learn their lives either.

I had needed another opinion, but who could possibly understand everything I was going through? Sophia wasn't speaking to me, Gwen was one of the variables I needed to figure out, and somehow I knew Nico wouldn't have the advice I needed. That's when I got the idea to go directly to the person I knew would have all the answers. Myself.

The day after my lecture from Sophia Pollux and I were supposed to go to the strawberry fields to help them grow, even though I hadn't shown an affinity for them. I tried a few times to coax them into growing only for them to either stay the same or die. Pollux said it might just take time, personally, I think the vines know I'm a reject who can only make people insane. Dumb plants. So instead of joining him I told Pollux I was going to try and meditate again, which made him happy that I was still taking his (and by extension Mr. D's advice). What I still hadn't told him was about the person I found inside my own head, the very person I was going to see now. My mature alter ego Alice could possibly have all the answers I needed.

So I wound up in the same little room with Alice who had switched up her outfit to just black jeans, dark blue chucks, and a Doctor Who t-shirt. (I have no idea why my alter ego had that shirt, I most certainly wasn't a fan of the show. But I'm getting off track.)

Although around Alice losing your train of thought was a given, seeing as she was basically my mind. And she wasn't exactly mentally sound.

"That's not an answer, that's a color. I asked for true or false, if your not going to answer with those you could at least give me a yes or no."

She sighed and set her coffee down, looking tired as hell, why though I wasn't sure. It was only my second visit here but I knew that she looked worse off than before. I would worry about it later. Right now I needed answers.

"True or false. Right or wrong. Yes or no. Good or bad. They're all just black and white statements." She pointed a finger at me, the nail painted the same blue as the shirt. "You are gray. Everyone, even in the smallest measure, is in the gray area. Anyone who thinks differently is just fooling themselves."

"So I'm not selfish?"

"Do you think you are?"

Now I'm starting to get mad. "You're just answering my question with a different question!"

She shrugged. "Do you?"

I just looked at her and she rolled her eyes continuing. "No I don't. You are a very generous person Sarah, there aren't enough people like you in the world. However, I can understand why someone, especially Sophia, can think you selfish."

"How so?" I took a drink of my Diet Coke, my drink of choice. There was no way I could stomach coffee.

"It's your fatal flaw I suppose." she leaned back in her chair making it tilt slightly. "All demigods have them, fatal flaws that is. I won't give you names but some of your friends have discovered theirs. Taking on everything themselves even if it kills them, sacrificing the world to save one friend, or trusting blindly. Some say it depends on your parent, but I believe it really weighs more on the individual."

"Then what is mine?"

Alice looked like she was staring at something far away as she answered. "Tunnel vision would be the best way to describe it. While you do things for good and for the good of others, you focus too much on it and it closes your vision around you."

Now that was just dumb and untrue. "No really, what is my flaw?"

Alice lost her far away look and it morphed into my pissed off face, not a good look mind you.

"Don't take this lightly Sarah. Think about it. Because of this conflict with Mr. D, how much time have you thought about anyone's home life besides your own?"

"When I met Nico I thought about his relationship with his dad."

"But you dropped the topic or let him drop it for you correct?"

I gritted my teeth. "Yes, because it was none of my business."

She slammed her fist down on the table quickly and I hate to admit that the motion startled me.

"There! Right there! That's the tunnel vision working. You believe you don't think about it because you have no right to, when in reality, your flaw is you can only focus on one problem at a time. This one with your dad? The big whammy itself. It's blocked off everything else so you pay no mind to anything but yourself. And yes Sarah, it can be mistaken for selfish."

I threw my hands up in frustration. "Well what am I to do then? It's not like I want to be selfish! And Sophia's opinion of me won't change if I just say sorry."

A lump formed in my stomach at just how much truth that carried.

Alice shook her head. "You don't have to fix it, a fatal flaw is something that either cannot be fixed, can be dealt with, or something that doesn't need changing. Simply start focusing more on what's around you and you'll be surprised how much that makes a difference. It's not a bad thing to focus on one thing Sarah, just don't let it consume you. And if you want to have no more distractions. Start by making amends with old sour grape."

The room started to fade and this time I wasn't just jerked out of my meditation. Slowly I lost sight of Alice, but her words didn't fade away with her.

"Know it all." I muttered.

**Crest: Yep a short chapter after such a long update wait time, but I'll have a nice long chapter next time around. Keep leaving reviews and tell me what you think! **


	5. Metaphors of Distances and Such

Chapter Five: Metaphors of Distances and Such

Coming out of my meditation was far more peaceful this time around seeing as Pollux wasn't there shaking me awake. Getting up off the floor I took a quick glance at the window and saw the sun was much lower than it had been when I first sat down. I guess there is a time lapse when I retreat inside my own head. Dinner would be starting soon and I told Pollux that I wouldn't skip it this time. My moods are in direct control of my eating habits and lately my depression has lead me to skipping almost every meal with just and apple or muffin in between. Pollux wasn't happy about that. Checking my reflection once in the mirror and deeming myself presentable I headed out the door. I had one task before the horn sounded.

I tried not tot think too much about where my feet were carrying me, but my brain rarely listens to my common sense so it was the only thing I could think of. The big house looked as normal as ever, blue and older. The wrap around porch was empty as it usually was when Chiron and Mr. D weren't playing a game on it. I knew that Chiron would be wrapping up an obstacle course activity by the volleyball courts so the house would only have one occupant right now. Which was a good thing because I really didn't want an audience in case things back fired on me.

Without knocking (which wasn't a rule, but most still did it when they were summoned here) I entered the house to find an empty living room. Walking slowly I passed the living room and the war room (a room with a long table and added on game tables where meetings were held) before finding my target in the medical wing. I personally hadn't had much need to come here the entire time I've been at camp. Any minor injuries I've gotten had been dealt with on the spot by an Apollo kid or I'd swing by their cabin for help. Which is good seeing as I didn't do hospitals, doctor's offices, or anything medical related in general. I just got bad vibes off of them.

Even though no one was in here needing treatment, Mr. D was standing at the far end of the room looking out the window. Judging by where the house was located and the room we were in I knew that the window probably showed a glimpse of the strawberry fields. Maybe he was looking for Pollux?

"If you're here to get something do so and don't just stand in the doorway like an idiot." Mr. D lectured me without looking away from the window. Damn gods. I don't think they can be caught off guard very much.

"Sorry for being an idiot then, but I'm not here to get anything." I said in an attempt to be calm about his tone. It wasn't a complete success.

He still didn't look my way, but his body wasn't as tense as before. "Then you don't need to be here. Shouldn't you be eating with the rest of the juveniles at the Mess hall?"

"Shouldn't you be there too?" I snapped back before I could stop myself. He made a tiny movement that could have been a twitch, but I wasn't sure. Taking a quick second to count to ten in my head I took a deep breath. "I've been meditating lately." I stopped there, waiting for his reaction. He stood perfectly still, but wouldn't turn to look at me. Fine, let him be a three year old for all I care! "Just thought I should tell you." I huffed.

I turned on my heel and walked out of the room. It wasn't until I was halfway across the living room when I heard him behind me.

"Why do you think I need to know?" came his voice, just as sarcastic and bored as it ever was, but at least he was talking.

I turned halfway to see him leaning against the wall, his face even looked bored.

I shrugged. "Pollux said you gave him the idea. Ergo, I thought you would like to know. I'm going to dinner now." My tone was final and he didn't stop me from leaving this time.

As I stepped out onto the porch I realized this was the first time I had left the big house without an argument between myself and Mr. D. Is it so sad that it felt like a major accomplishment? Walking to the Mess hall I didn't realize someone was watching me.

"Hey Sunshine, you look happy." Nick Winters came out of no where and started walking with me. The sixteen year old demigod was tall and tan with a smile that probably broke many hearts. His hair was dark and his hazel eyes looked almost yellow. The son of Thanatos had picked up a habit of finding me when I just wanted to be alone.

I gave him a confused look. "What makes you think I'm happy?"

"The smile on your face." Had I been smiling? "So what gives?"

"Can't I just be happy without a reason?"

"Not after the past three days, you storm around here like you're going to rip someone a new one if they cross you wrong. So what's with the mood swing, your time of the month or something?"

I gave him a small punch to the shoulder that wouldn't leave a bruise, but would hurt for awhile. "Don't bring that up and no. I just had a conversation go my way for once that's all."

"Must have been a big deal." he said as we finally made it to dinner.

I shrugged. "Not huge, but it was a good first step."

We each got a plate and loaded them up. Tonight was roast beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and an assortment of puddings for desert. I piled my plate high as did Nick before we went to sacrifice an offering.

"A first step?"

"Yeah with Mr. D, you know what they say: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Or some other philosophical crap."

"It's not crap, well, not all of it. But I'm glad you're out of your piss pour mood for the moment. Just be careful, there is another saying." he said as he tossed a buttery roll into the fire. "Give someone an inch and they'll take a mile."

I tossed a roll in too. "Yeah, I'll be careful. But to be honest things can't get any worse than what they've been right?"

"Things tend to get worse when people say that. Throw some salt over your shoulder later or something."

I rolled my eyes and we parted ways to different tables. I felt bad that he had to eat by himself, as did Percy, seeing he was the only on in his cabin. For me, there was only one other person at my table. The curly blond hair was easy enough to spot.

"Sup." I took my usual seat across from him and dug into my sandwich. Not eating something this big in days had me scarfing the whole thing in less than a minute. I reached for my second sandwich.

"Not much but I'm glad to see you eating." Pollux had eaten almost nothing on his plate and had skipped to desert early. "How did meditating go?"

I still hadn't told him about Alice and that wasn't going to change anytime soon. So I went for the half truth.

"Fine, it relaxed me a bit and gave me time to think." I waited until Pollux had gone to take a drink before adding casually "And then I went to see Mr. D before coming here."

He tried to inhale and that caused his fruit punch to choke him a little. Sputtering and coughing loudly caused a few heads turned our way before going back to their own conversations.

"What?" He managed after a minute. His eyes partially wide and dare I say it, hopeful?

I bit into my roll and chewed slowly, I was enjoying this far too much.

"It's no big deal Pollux. I went, he called me an idiot, I told him I was meditating, and we parted without yelling at each other."

"That's great!" his smile was huge like he just won the lottery or something.

"You are reading way too much into this dork."

"Whatever you say."

He continued to smile like a dork through dinner and even when we left to go to the campfire sing along. I managed to spot Sophia with her cabin, our eyes met for a second before she turned away. It happened so fast I couldn't tell if she had been glaring at me or not. Hell, was she mad at me or had she moved on? Trying to put it out of my mind I focused on the music and tried to forget my problems for an hour. Just as the second song started up a boy, who couldn't have been more than seven, screamed. I didn't know his name, but I did know he was new. So no one could blame him when he screamed and bolted away from Rachel Dare as she doubled over clutching her stomach.

She stood straight back up and locked eyes on me.

"_**Born of he who gave man's first gift,**_

_**has the power over the winds that shift.**_

_**Beings of old and new will fight and seek,**_

_**to claim the one who was born unique.**_

_**She who tames madness will play her role,**_

_**and bring the balance back in control."**_

Rachel closed her eyes and looked like she was going to fall over, but caught herself in time. She stood a little shaky as she opened her eyes again, her normal green eyes showed she was confused.

"What's everyone looking at?"

Then I said the only thing I could think of.

"Son of a bitch!"

**Crest: And curtain! Yes people, another prophecy has been given. I guess nothing stays calm at Camp Half Blood for long. Review please.**


	6. Tea Party Possibilities

Chapter Six: Tea Party Possibilities

After my lady like outburst all the eyes around the campfire fell to me, I only notice a few though. Gwen looked shocked. Nick just smirked in amusement at my cursing. Then my eyes met Sophia's briefly and they held an anger I couldn't mistake for anything else. Everyone else held a gaze of confusion at my words since they probably didn't know that I'd already deduced who the prophecy was for. No one but a few knew of my new gift, one I still hadn't a clue on getting a grip on. But their eyes pierced me anyway and it was all too much, too much attention. My head felt like it started to spin and a pressure formed quickly between my eyes. It was a pressure I'd only felt once before, but it was already all too familiar. I spun around to make a quick escape when I bumped hard into the person behind me.

"Watch where you're going you reject." a snippy, but familiar voice sneered at me. No not now, let it be anyone else but her. I felt a hand shove my shoulder and I caught a glimpse of a perfectly manicured hand with pink nail polish. "Didn't you hear me you loser, move!"

The pressure was so intense that I couldn't think of anything else, let alone why I shouldn't lift my head up. Against everything my common sense screamed at me (which there was only very little left now due to the pain) I lifted my head and met the eyes of Drew. Her face was scrunched in anger and yet she was still beautiful. A second ticked by and nothing happened.

Then I felt the pressure release through my eyes.

I snapped them shut as soon as I could but I knew in my gut I wasn't quick enough. Drew's screams only confirmed my thoughts. I didn't open my eyes for fear of what I would see, a girl withering on the ground just like the Keres had. But the sound of Drew, a girl I couldn't stand in the least, screaming like that twisted at my insides. And I couldn't stop it. The pain in my head suddenly stopped and it left me feeling numb everywhere. Drew's screams melted away as dark spots danced in front of my eyes. I was only vaguely aware of my legs giving out and was ready to feel the ground meet me. In my last second of consciousness I felt an arm wrap around me, stopping my fall. Too bad I didn't see who caught me, I would have said thanks.

***~Page Break~***

When I came to the pain had gone completely and my body felt normal again. My eye lids felt a little heavy as I tried opening them only to be met with numerous faces.

"You know it's a little creepy watching someone sleep." I muttered rubbing my eyes.

"Morning to you too Sunshine." Nick was the face at my left, his smirk was ever the same, but the bags under his eyes looked terrible. "You know when I normally catch girls it's because they swoon for me. But your welcome all the same."

"What?" It felt way too early to deal with his special brand of humor and sarcasm.

Pollux was at my right. "He means that he caught you from falling last night. Although I don't know why he couldn't be normal and just spit it out." he glared at the dark haired demigod, his eyes looked tired too. Nick just shrugged and leaned back in his chair. His chair?

I bolted upright in a bed that wasn't my own. For starters the thing that covered me was a thin white blanket and not my purple comforter and there was only one pillow beneath my head instead of my usual two. I was definitely a two pillow kind of girl. Now that I was wide awake I quickly looked around. Two more faces came into view. Annabeth and Gwen stood at the foot of the bed looking as tired as the rest of them, but Gwen as her dorky self was smiling. Even if it was a strained smile.

"Hey sleeping beauty, I thought I was going to pour a bucket of ice water on you to wake you up."

I scowled. "You did that in eighth grade and I threw my math book at you."

"Yeah, good times." she said brightly, gods she was such a dork sometimes, but I love her anyways.

Looking beyond my little group I recognized the infirmary and went rigid. They had to put me in here?!

"Wait, morning? You said it was morning?"

Annabeth nodded. "It's about ten, you were out all night. How do you feel?"

"Fine I guess." Then I remembered what brought me here in the first place. "What happened after I passed out?" How was Drew is what I really wanted to ask, but couldn't get the words to form. As much as I hated the girl she didn't deserve what I probably did to her.

They all looked at each other as if deciding if the conversation could wait. In the end Pollux turned to me.

"After Nick caught you the Aphrodite and Apollo cabins swept in and brought Drew here. I had Nick bring you in shortly after. Chiron and Mr. D were summoned and while Sophia and Nick caught Chiron up Mr. D went to work on Drew. She stopped screaming before they brought her here, but she was rambling on and on about nothing in particular. Her eyes were funny too, they weren't focused at all. It took about an hour, but Mr. D was able to reverse the damage. Drew was tired and little confused, but fine overall. She walked out of here on her own feet Sarah. She's fine." His eyes bore into mine, his face pleading me to accept the fact that I hadn't hurt her permanently.

"How did I get here?"

"I carried you here." Nick said still leaning the chair back to where the front legs were off the ground. His feet were resting on my bed. "You're heavier than you look, but lucky for you I'm not a stranger to lifting damsels in distress."

I quickly took hold of his legs and threw them back hard. This caused Nick's chair to fall backwards and he yelped when he smacked the ground. I smirked.

"I'm no damsel in distress and I didn't ask you to carry me. Next time let someone else do it, oh, and never call me heavy."

He leaned up rubbing the back of his head. "Noted."

"Why didn't you guys just take me back to my cabin. I wasn't the one screaming."

"Yes but you were the one who passed out and looked like you were dead. Seriously, I could have kicked you in the side and you wouldn't have twitched at all." Gwen explained as she dug through a small duffel bag. Taking out some clothes I realized were mine she handed them to me. "I did run and get you these. You were sweating all night and I thought you might want to change."

Taking notice of my sweat soaked clothes I nodded. "Thanks." Then I noticed something else that should have been more obvious. I looked at Annabeth. "Where's Percy?"

The tan girl smiled at the name. "He left before you woke up to I.M Nico. We thought you would want him to know."

Nico had left some time ago to go back to the Underworld to perform what ever duties he had there. We had discussed his time schedule and it didn't bother me much that he preferred to spend more time in the Underworld now than out of it. Apparently he and his dad were getting along better these days, minus the whole incident when we broke into one of his vaults. Nico still hasn't told me how his dad reacted about that. I still have the yellow stone back with the rest of my things at the cabin. I hid it under a floor board that I loosened and stashed it there with a few more of my valuables. The stone in question had the power to grant the holder the ability to see souls. Thanks to it me, Gwen, and Sophia had managed to track Nick down earlier this summer. I wasn't planning on giving it back to Hades anytime soon.

"Yeah thanks I appreciate it."

Silence took the room and it bothered me. I've never really liked total silence.

"So what does the rest of the camp know about what happened?" I had a feeling that my reputation took a big hit.

"Everything basically." Nick stated bluntly.

"Seriously?"

Annabeth nodded, looking serious again. She ran a hand through her messy blond curls. "People started talking after we took you guys away from the campfire. Because you're Mr. D's kid there was a theory quickly made that you drove Drew mad." Way to hit the nail on the head. Maybe demigods weren't too distracted with their ADHD to put their brains to work after all.

"Then when Drew got better she confirmed it. However, she does what she does best and twisted it to make it sound like you did it on purpose. Not everyone believes her, hardly anyone does, but it does make them a little...hesitate to be around you right now." Pollux tried to say gently. I knew what he meant.

"So they're scared of me now huh? Afraid I'll make them crazy and throw a huge tea party in Wonderland right? Because I'm the Mad Hatter and it's what I do on purpose." I bit out part sarcastic and part bitter.

"Now I wouldn't mind going to that. It would be hilarious!" Nick joked trying to lighten my mood, but I wasn't having it.

"Did anyone try set things straight and tell them what really happened? Did Sophia? And why isn't she here?"

Gwen fiddled with a bracelet on her wrist. "We did tell some people, the Hermes cabin mostly. Oh, Travis and Connor want you to come by when you're up for it."

"Sophia had some things to take care of." Annabeth interjected quickly.

"Princess is worried about containing the rumor mill in her cabin, but she did ask about you before she left with drew last night though."

That stung a little. I knew that has head of her cabin that Sophia would have to take care of them first, but she completely left me to go with Drew, who everyone said was fine, and left me here unconscious.

"Were you guys here the entire night? Because I say this with love, except for Nick (Hey!), you guys look terrible."

They all nodded and that lifted my spirits a little. So I had good friends who wouldn't abandon me.

"Chiron was going to kick us out, but we argued. In the end dad said if it would shut us up we could stay. But if we woke you he would turn Percy into a dolphin." Pollux explained as he got up. "How about you get up and changed and we'll walk over to the volleyball courts and play a game until lunch. Chiron wants you to take it easy until after you eat."

"Sounds like a plan. Give me a minute and we'll go."

They all filed out and I quickly swapped outfits. Gwen had brought me a pair of jean shorts, a dark green shirt with sleeves that came to my elbows, and my black and white tennis shoes. After I fixed my hair and scrubbed my face with a wet towel I was ready to go.

The rest of the morning was spent playing volleyball and getting stared at by campers passing by. They would make no attempts to hide it and stare or point at me, whispering as they do so. I could just imagine what was said. 'Hey there's the freaky girl who can make us coo coo for coco puffs or fruiter than fruit loops if we look at her wrong.' Yeah that didn't help my mood at all. My mind kept drifting off and I knew at some point today I would have to track down Rachel and talk to her about this new quest. It didn't sound like it had a time clock on it, but I knew the sooner I started the better. The only question was who I was going to involve this time around?

Gwen was my first choice, even if this prophecy hadn't gave a clue who to take this time. She was my best friend and I trusted her and her abilities to come through in troubling times. That and I knew she would never let me leave without her. Then there's Sophia and right now I'm not sure if I trust her. Hell, I don't even know if she still think of me as her friend! This was just way too much to think about right away. First off I needed to get this power of mine under control and to do that Alice and I needed to have another talk. This time though, I wasn't leaving until I knew for sure how to deal with it.

I couldn't afford not to.


	7. Author's Note

**Holy Spontaneous Author's Note Batman!**

Hello to my faithful readers, the occasional passerby, or if you were just bored and browsed through many selections and chose this one, hey I don't judge. This is a very important and exciting update even though it's not a chapter update. Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up. Anyway, here's your next mission should you choose to accept it. The next quest has been born and it looks like our favorite heroine Sarah is in for another challenge, if not two. With problems lurking between her and Sophia, will she pick her to come along on this new quest or will she choose another? This time it's not up to me. It's up to you my readers to decide who will be going along with Sarah and Gwen on the quest! I've created the poll and posted it to my profile page. I posted it on September first and it will remain open until September sixth. So if you would go check out the poll and I will hopefully have a chapter written and posted sometime on the seventh.

Until next time: Wibbly Wobbly Timey Whimey.

(And yes, I did use a Doctor Who reference. Strictly speaking I'm a Potter Head, a Batman fanatic, and a hater of Twi Hards, but I can appreciate a good show even if I'm not a fan.)


	8. It Must Run in the Family

Chapter Seven: It Must Run in the Family

The day couldn't have ended soon enough. After walking around camp during training sessions had been hard, well, harder than usual. It seemed that no matter where I went (the arena, the climbing wall, the archery range, the bathroom even!) the murmurs and stares followed. It didn't matter that I had others around me who everyone else liked, (Percy, because who didn't like him? Annabeth was always treated with respect among most campers. Gwen was someone you couldn't help but get along with. Pollux was a person that most people liked, but never made an effort other than saying hello. And Nick who had most girls here falling over themselves and guys secretly wishing they could be him.) no one tried to hide or stop their mutterings. At first I thought they didn't stop because they thought I couldn't hear them, but when a couple of Demeter kids got louder near me was when I knew they did it because they knew I could hear them. And here I thought high school was the only place I would ever have to deal with this crap.

Our little group had been on its way to dinner and just thinking about how hard it would be to sit there and having to listen to more mutterings ruined my appetite. I stopped walking and hung back as they continued forwards, until Pollux noticed my halt.

"Are you coming?"  
I shook my head. "Not hungry. I think I'll turn in early tonight. See you guys tomorrow and I'll see you back at the cabin." I told them before swiftly turning on my heel and leaving. Even from this distance I felt a few eyes from the Mess Hall on my retreating back, the noise grew louder. Great, now they think I'm a coward for running. Which I'm totally not! I just know how to pick my battles and this one wasn't worth the effort tonight after such a draining day.

Because everyone else was eating my walk through the camp was peaceful and I could actually enjoy the falling evening as the sun sunk lower and lower in the sky. Back home my mom and I would sit out on the porch swing and watch the day turn into night, talking about everything and nothing at all. Most of the time we would drink coco and munch on some delicious treat that we both claimed we didn't need but ate them with smiles anyway. She would tell me stories of her growing up a wild child and how she was so happy to have a kid like me. And I would just sit there and wonder how I managed to get so lucky as to have a mom like her, not that I would ever say it out loud. Our lives weren't some sappy movie. I miss those times most of all. Especially at times like this when just talking to her could make me feel better.

I got to the cabin quickly enough and after taking another breath of evening air and went inside. Only to find a certain leopard printed shirt wearing god standing by my bookshelf staring at the many pictures that sat on top. Following his gaze I noticed he was looking at an older picture of mom and me taken when I was nine. We had gone to Disney World and gotten matching Minnie Mouse ears, which we were wearing while posing for the shot in question. I remembered that day well, it was one of the best days of my life. I had the biggest grin as we stood in front of the water show display and Goofy took our picture. Most teenagers would be embarrassed about such a picture and heaven forbid anyone ever actually saw it. But I didn't mind Pollux looking at it or Percy, who told me about his relationship with his mom was just as close. And Mr. D was hardly a person that I felt a need to hide such things from.

"Hi." Because what else could I say?

He didn't say hi back, but instead picked up another picture, one that rested at the far end of the shelf. "The Golden Gate Bridge?"

Not sure where this was going (like so many of our talks) I simply nodded even though he couldn't see it. "Yep, we went there for mom's thirty-third birthday. She said she always wanted to see San Francisco."

Putting the picture back down he turned to me. "You should be careful around that area, there are many more monsters in those parts. Better yet stay away from the city all together if you can."

He didn't have to tell me about the monsters, I found out the hard way. Oh boy, didn't that just make mom's special day perfect? We had been sitting outside a cute little cafe downtown when suddenly I saw a herd of monsters coming straight for me. I got up and ran quickly away, mom called out after me but I wouldn't stop. Leading them away had been hard especially since I didn't have a weapon with me and I really had no desire to fight them anyway. Eventually I got back to our hotel room, four hours later, and mom grabbed me into a hug that I thought was going to break my spine in half. She cried, I told her it was fine, but she wouldn't let me out of her sight as we instantly checked out and made our way to the airport. We have yet to go back to the city since.

"Already noted." I walk over to my bed and pull off my shoes, letting my toes curl freely. The feeling you get after taking your shoes off after a hard day was a simple pleasure that I made great use of. "So what brings you by this fine evening?"

His face was neutral and I didn't since any anger from the guy, which is always a bonus in my book. So when he took a seat beside me I knew something was off. Way off.

"We need to talk about was has transpired in the last day and a half." he said. His face turned harder, but not in anger, in something I could only guess was seriousness.

I sighed deeply. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew this talk was unavoidable. I mean, I lost control (nonexistent control) over my power and left a girl insane. It didn't matter that she had only had to suffer a short time or that she was fine now. It mattered that it _happened_, a fact that weighed like a heavy stone in my stomach. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, because I felt like a failure. Even if we didn't get along, even if we hated each other, I was still his kid. And I failed to control a power that was my responsibility to handle, just like every other demigod.

"I'm sorry." I looked to the floor. Apologizing was hard enough and not something that came easy to me, just like mom. But it was even harder because I was apologizing to my absentee father who I still had very mixed feelings about. When I didn't hear anything I continued just to get it over with. "I should have done something more. I should have pushed Drew out of the way or gone a different way. Keeping my eyes shut wasn't going to do anything to prevent it. I should have done better."

"That's what you think I'm talking about?" he asked in a genuinely surprised tone. I lifted my head up and looked at him.

"Well yeah, isn't it?"

His face morphed back into a calm yet serious expression. "No. Honestly I'm surprised something like that hasn't happened sooner. You must have a good amount of restraint over it."

"You're kidding right?"

"Not at all. Sarah you are not the only child I have ever had to possess this power. You are however the first to not go mad with it."

That shocked me. "Will the power drive me insane too?" Was that the price for a power such as this? You can make others crazy only to become crazy yourself?

"Of course not, what gave you that idea?" his voice slipping back into the usual 'are you an idiot?' tone. Ah, this I could handle. This was normal. "They merely went insane, if only for a shirt while, because of many things. Some became that way because of their fear of the power, letting it control them. Others couldn't control the amount of power they had and it ended the same way as the previous. You, I can sense the power you have even the untapped power. But for some reason you have a good grasp on it, whether you're doing it on purpose or not."

"Oh...that's good. I guess."

We didn't say anything else for a minute or two, or five. But who was counting really?

"So what did you want to talk about?"

"The Oracle has given a new quest. And even the dimmest demi brat here knows now if they hadn't before that it is meant for you."

"Yeah I already deciphered that much thanks. Anything to add?"

"You're not going." he said simply. I groaned loudly and rubbed my eyes. Is he really starting this again?!

Trying to be calm I took a deep breath before responding. "I appreciate you coming here to tell me that, but yes, I am going."

I was ready for yelling, insults, and him telling me just how incapable I was to go on this quest. Just like last time. We hadn't spoken properly at length since after my last quest, when he told me it wasn't enough to just get by with luck and only win by a hair. It was also then that I told him that I hadn't even wanted to be at this camp in the first place. That I had only come for Gwen and that I thought it was about time he knew about me. That conversation hadn't ended well.

So what happened next took me by surprise.

"Very well."

My jaw fell open and I briefly remembered the old cartoons I used to love when a character did that their jaws would go all the way to the ground. That was what I pictured I looked like.

"Huh?"

He rolled his eyes. "Please don't tell me you've been hanging around Perry so much that you're getting dumber." It took a sec to remember that Perry was in fact Percy, but I was too blown away that I couldn't defend my friend at that moment. "If you want to go I won't stop you."

"Really?" My voice was hopeful yet disbelieving and it didn't go unnoticed.

His eyes narrowed. "If I forbade you to go you would just run off like last time. It seems that the fact that I'm a god and your father doesn't hold very high with you. If I said something you would do the opposite just to spite me, like every other teenager in this world."

"That's not true and you know it. I did that last time because I had to. If you would have just listened to me for five seconds instead of just ordering me around you might have realized that."

"So if I had listened and still didn't want you to go would you have stayed?"

His tone said he knew the answer and that it displeased him. Well tough cookies.

"You're right, I still would have wanted to go. And unlike you I did see your side of the argument. No, I haven't been as highly trained as the senior campers here, but I can still fight alongside them. Yes, I did act stupidly, but that's kind of my thing and things tend to work out for me that way. And for the record, I wouldn't do it just to spite you. I would do it because it's right. I'm not that wild crazy teen that most parents have to put up with. Mom raised me right and I respected her enough to have common sense and use it wisely." Despite what he thought I knew my mom thought of me as a good kid. I was good and kept my nose clean. With all the monster fights I decided a long time ago mom didn't need to deal with a wild teenaged daughter on top of it all.

His eyes met my identical ones. "So you are going to go?"

I nodded. "I don't know when or with whom just yet. But if we can talk about this without biting each others heads off I will tell you these things as I check them off my to do list."

This was an olive branch of sorts. It was a small one, but one none the less. I was taking a big risk and it could easily blow up in my face. Still, if he was willing to try, I could too. He reached up with a hand and cupped my face. The touch was unexpected, but it was warm and gentle so I didn't pull away.

"You are so much like her." A hint of longing flickered in his eyes briefly. "Stubborn, strong willed, hot tempered at times, intelligent, and you have a presence about you that makes people turn to look."

I wanted to laugh at that for many reasons. One being that whole presence thing, people didn't notice me unless it was to insult me. Strong willed? Duh, it didn't take a genius to figure that out. But mostly what made it so funny was that hot tempered thing. Was he excluding himself from that on purpose or did he really not know that we alone share that trait? Mom barely had a temper. When she got mad sure it was bad, but volume helped in her case. But stubbornness, well...

"It runs in the family." I said with a giggle.

That was the first time I had even laughed in front of the guy. And the look on his face told me he realized it too. Maybe we could get along after all.

"But if you do anything pointlessly stupid or dangerous you will have kitchen duty until your thirty. Am I clear?"

Or maybe not so much.

**Crest: Wow. It's been a few days since I posted it and I still have next to no votes on my poll for the third and final member of Sarah's questing party. Vote! Vote! Vote! Democracy exists for a reason people, use it. Also, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter so review and tell me what you think. **


	9. Magic Does Exist Outside Hogwarts

**Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, may your holidays be fun filled and relaxing. I could think of no better gift to my readers than finally updating my story. Onward!**

Chapter Eight: Magic Does Exist Outside Hogwarts

A Queens born New Yorker I would always be. I loved the hustle and buzz of the big city, but something about the woods put me at ease. Pollux had come back to the cabin after dinner, after Mr. D had left, and even though I care about him he made the cabin feel a little crowded right then. Making an excuse about going to see Gwen I took the path to the woods not caring if he saw me go that way or not. Walking down the worn path I the cooling air made my nerves calm almost instantly, my head felt clear. These woods had magic, I just knew it. They were the place that always held the changes since I came to this camp. Stepping over a log I glanced a ways away, the spot were Pollux and I had our first conversation was in sight. I remember attacking him and the result was him sitting on me. I can laugh about it now, but it wasn't so funny then.

I kicked a rock and sent it flying, past the tree where I had once sat and had a mental breakdown. The very same spot where I had met Nico for the first time. That moment would always be clear in my mind. He came out of nowhere and listened to a complete stranger's problems. He made me feel better, feel like I was normal, and made me feel not so alone. It was that moment, I'm sure of it, that I had started to fall for the boy dressed in black. It was that same night, after meeting said boy, that I ran into Sophia. Yes, everything seemed to change when I stepped into these woods.

"Hey," a familiar soft voice spoke behind me. I didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. Though my inner shock wanted me to spin around fast I just lazily turned my head. There stood Sophia in a baby blue t-shirt with white shorts and matching sandals. The Aphrodite girl had her glowing blond locks braided into a tight bun atop her head, a few loose pieces fell to the sides of her face, framing it perfectly. It was so unfair how easy she made looking wonderful was.

Not knowing what to say I just nodded. "Hey. How's it going?" What else could I ask? What are you doing here we're fighting remember? Yeah, that would go over smoothly. What I really wanted was just to hug her and have everything back to moral. I stopped being mad at her, I was more mad at myself and the situation. I had been stupid and hot headed, but admitting it was hard for me. I was stubborn to the core and it never did me any favors when it came to righting wrongs.

"Fine. You?" she asked in a similar blank tone.

"Fine."

The awkward silence fell and we just stood there looking at everything but each other. Finally I just couldn't take it anymore. I was tired from the day, I was hungry from missing dinner, and most of all I was done with being quiet.

"I'm sorry!" We both seemed to blurt out at the same time. We met each others eyes and in that moment, everything before just seemed so incredibly _stupid_.

"I'm sorry for saying those things about your mom. If you say she has your best interests at heart I'm going to believe you. You were right, the world or this camp doesn't revolve around me and my life, others have problems too."

She was shaking her head. "No, I'm sorry. I don't know what it's like not being able to trust a parent. I should have been able to see it from your viewpoint."

We both finished in a rush and took a big breath, then we both erupted into laughter. It could have been five minutes or fifteen, but we just kept laughing. When I did manage to calm down enough I went over to her and wrapped my arms around her in a rare Sarah hug.

"So are we good? Because I really want to be friends again." I asked.

"Totally good." she hugged back before letting go. Her face dimmed a little. "Listen, about Drew-"

I held a hand up to stop her. "Forget her. I've dealt with people like her before, she's just the first I have to put up with on a different playing field." Sophia still looked unsure. "Look, I said I trusted your word and maybe your mom is right. Who knows, someone else might just come along and knock Drew off her pedestal. I'm done thinking about it." I wasn't lying either. Did I still hate Drew? Yep. Did I still want to see her put in her place? Oh yes. But if Sophia wasn't meant to do it then I would just have to wait. I wasn't going to let Drew mess with my friendships again.

Sophia looked like she was trying to figure out if I was serious or not. Then she smiled and her whole face brightened. "Thank you."

"Yeah, okay I'm done with all this touchy feely stuff. Come on." I grabbed her hand and started to pull her back through the woods.

"Where are we going?"

"To get the dynamic trio back together!"

We burst out from the woods and I took a quick glance back. This moment was just one more example on my list of proof that these woods were magical. It was no Forbidden Forest or anything, but it held its own magic. Everything was a blur to me as we ran to the Apollo cabin and banged on the door. Gwen's face when she answered it was one of confusion until she saw the matching smiles on Sophia's and my faces.

"Thank gods! If I had to put up with this tiff between you two another day I was going drown you both in the lake!"

I shrugged. "Percy would have saved us. He's fishy."

"Whatever. Welcome back Princess, don't turncoat again or things won't work out the same."

"Wow." Sophia smirked, but it was playful.

"What can't take a threat?"

"No. I was just surprised you knew the term 'turncoat' and used it in a sentence properly." The light in her eyes told me she had missed quipping with Gwen. "Also, threats are not your forte."

"Hey!" But we were all giggling by then. The night was spent by breaking cabin protocol and eating Gwen's stash of junk food. It was the best night I'd had in a long time. I knew come morning I'd have to face all the whispers and the cold shoulders, the prophecy would still be a puzzle for me to solve, and my powers would still need a tighter control. But at least my best friends were whole and at my side once again. Maybe, just maybe, I would be alright after all.

**There you go! I know it's short, but I really wanted Sophia's and Sarah's reunion to be done. Sarah is not the kind of person to drag out apologizes when they're important. Until next time, read on and have a great holiday.**


	10. Is This a Soap Opera or What?

Chapter Nine: Is This a Soap Opera or What?

If there was one thing to say about demigods it was this: meals with us are never dull events. Gwen, Sophia, and I crawled out of the Apollo cabin late that morning exhausted, but happy. There is nothing like an all night girl's night to clear the air. We had made it to the mess hall with breakfast already in full swing. Or full chaos. Seeing as I had to duck to avoid an airborne waffle right as I sat down, chaos would most definitely be the word. According to Pollux, who was lazily working his way through his plate of toast and eggs, the Hermes kids were having a food war with the Demeter kids. Again. Geez, would Travis just ask Katie out already?! I've heard of boys picking on girls they like for attention, but this was ridiculous. Not too mention he was way too old to be doing that.

I managed to get a plate of dry toast and some fruit, make my offering, and get to my table without getting pelted with anything. Going to a public school had its advantages after all.

"So I notice Sophia actually walked in with you and Gwen today and there was no blood shed." Pollux said without looking up from his food.

"Yep." I didn't bother to swallow my food before talking, he wouldn't have noticed anyway.

He looked up with a confused look on his face. "That's all you got to say? After days of avoiding each other like the plague then waltzing in here like some sappy Disney ending, all you have to say is 'yep'?"

I arched an eyebrow. "Want me to write a book? I thought it was girls who needed to know all the details."

"Well some details wouldn't hurt." He pouted, but I could totally tell he was faking by the slight glint in his eyes.

I sighed. Picking up a grape and rolling it between my fingers I retold the night's events leading up to the reunion.

"That's where you were last night. For awhile there I thought you had run off again to go on your next quest."

"No, I would tell you before I did that. Truth is I'm still trying to figure out what it all means." I popped the grape in my mouth and mentally moaned at the taste. Red and purple grapes were fine, but green grapes were my favorite.

He rolled his eyes. "You have got to get your mind off this, if something happens then it happens. If not, then fine. Sometimes you just have to wait it out. There's no point worrying over it when you have no control." He went back to finishing his plate.

Picking at the remainder of mine, no longer having much of an appetite, my mind wondered. I knew he was right. That I was worrying more than I should be, but I was never one for sitting around and twiddling her thumbs. I needed to be doing something, making progress on this. I would go nuts otherwise. Speaking of going nuts, I guess it would be helpful to make more time to meditate before my next quest got into gear.

When breakfast finished I was ready to train. For once I was glad that Chiron had kicked up the training these last few weeks. Because working yourself so hard that you have no time to think about anything else was a blessing to me. If I could just put my mind elsewhere, even just for a few hours, would be ideal. Leaving the mess hall with Pollux we made our way over to the arena. Kicking his sorry butt over the place was just the thing to relief some stress.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Page Break~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Everything around me was silent. The only thing I could see was the person in front of me, who was Percy at this point. Pollux and I had spent an hour sparring, me winning every time. Percy ha waltzed in without either of us noticing and after another defeat Pollux swapped out. Then things got serious and I went into focus mode. The only thing I could hear was the whistle of my blade as it sliced through the air. The clings and bangs as our swords met between us. This time around, the victories were more evenly split an I actually felt like I got a workout. Training with the best swordsman in the camp will do that to you.

"Alright you two, we need to move on to the obstacle course. Are you joining us there as well Percy?" Pollux asked as he made his way away from the wall and over to us. He looked bored and I felt kind of bad. This was supposed to be his training session too. He would get his moment though, seeing as he was way quicker than me on the obstacle course. Being taller and much more broad than me one would think he wouldn't have much grace or agility. But demigod laws of physics screwed up common sense.

Pulling back I let my sword drop to my side and Percy capped Riptide. I think it's really cool how his sword is so easily portable while mine is bulky and normally stays either in my cabin or the weapons shed. But hey, some people get the bigger perks. I put my sword into my side holder and we all made our way out of the arena, passing the Hephaestus cabin making their way in. A smaller girl with a slight tan and thick eyebrows passed me. I had only seen her a handful of times, the last one unforgettable, but that frizzy light brown hair stuffed into a make shift bun was hard to miss. Tabitha (Tabby) Sparks looked at me for a lingering moment before turning away. I had only talked to her once in my entire time at camp seeing as our paths never really crossed. That is until I broke into the weapon's shed and stole her shield before running off to do my first quest. I had given back her shield in once piece, but she hadn't said a word, just took it and left. I still don't know if she had been mad or not. I wasn't going to risk asking her and starting something that would be better off alone.

Our trio made it had way to the obstacle course when we noticed the other campers gathering around the big house.

"What's going on?" Pollux asked Percy. Chiron might run the camp with Mr. D as the director, but everyone at camp and on Olympus knew that Percy Jackson was the head of Camp Half Blood. And very little went on, or at least the major things, that Percy wasn't in the know on. But when Percy shrugged and started to walk towards the growing group I knew something was up.

I saw Gwen and Sophia standing on the outside of the group. Gwen holding her bow and Sophia looking sweaty. "Hey guys." They both turned to look at me before meeting us halfway.

"About time you guys came." Gwen said as she looked at Percy for an explanation. He held his hands up in defense.

"Why does everyone assume I know something?" he asked while we made our way through the crowd. People seemed to just move away to make room. We reached the porch with ease.

"Because you should know." Sophia explained.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Yeah because that makes sense."

Our group of five made it into the main room before Chiron came and stopped us. He didn't look mad, but he also looked like we wouldn't be going any further.

"Chiron what's going on? What's with the groupies?" I asked as I took a seat on the couch nearby. I propped my feet on the coffee table.

"We simply have a new camper." Chiron explained without meeting any of our eyes. Mine I could understand with the whole one-look-and-it's-straight-to-the-looney-bin, but for everyone else it was odd. He was hiding something.

"You're not telling us something." Pollux said with his arms crossed. Way to state the obvious bro.

"You demigods do not always need to know every little thing that happens around here." a bored voice said beside me. Looking sideways I mentally groaned. Mr. D had somehow entered the room with no one noticing and took up residence on the other end of the couch I was sitting on. He took one look at my feet placement and frowned. "Feet off the table Sarah."

I cocked an eyebrow. There was no reason for me to move them seeing as Chiron hadn't cared enough to voice his opinion. And my feet were comfy. But I knew I had to pick and choose my battles if this whole thing with Mr. D was going to work out. I could feel multiple eyes on me as I made my choice. Huffing a little I slowly slid my feet back before they fell to to the floor. It left a small streak of dirt of the table and a small bit of satisfaction that I had won a little. The frown that had yet to go away on his face told me he knew exactly what I was thinking, but surprisingly he didn't comment. Percy broke the small moment by continuing with Chiron.

"Has something happened?" he asked trying to get a glimpse past the man in the wheelchair.

Chiron sighed before leading us back into the infirmary, a decent sized room where the Apollo kids and sometimes a sprite or two could be found healing the wounded. Today though it was cleared out with the exception of two. One I recognized and one I didn't.

Nick looked up from his seat beside one of the beds as we entered. His gaze found mine instantly. "Hey Sunshine, I wondered how long it would take you to get here."

I just shrugged and went to stand by him. Quickly I took in the form on the bed, a girl who was awake, but just barely. She had a darker skin tone that wasn't just a tan and light gray eyes. At least, that's what I could see as her eyelids started to droop. She looked small, but that could just be from her curling up on the bed. At most she couldn't be past fourteen."Who is she?" I asked quietly as the mystery girl fell asleep.

"We do not know. A satyr from outside of camp brought her here. He found her wondering Connecticut exhausted and fleeing from monsters. She has no memory, when asked she couldn't even give her name. The satyr just got her over the property line before she collapsed. Luckily Nick was near and helped bring her here." Chiron explained.

"That's strange." Sophia put in looking over the girl.

"Yeah, I mean no memory an no back story? Sounds like a a bad TV show." Gwen grunted.

Sophia looked closer at the newest camper. "That's not what I meant, although I do agree. What I meant to say was that she got over the line and nothing happened? Has any gods claimed her yet like they're supposed to?" Okay that was a good question.

Chiron shook his head. "Not yet, but it may just take some time. Who knows, her memory loss may be the work of the gods."

"That would be messed up." I put in.

"Agreed." Gwen said as she looked closer at the girl too. But now I wasn't so much looking at her rather than feeling the air around her. It was a different feeling, but I couldn't figure out why. Before I could explore it further Mr. D came into the room.

"Now that you all have stuck your noses where they don't belong I suggest you get back to your training. I know you have done nothing yet today Nate." he glared at Nick who looked more amused than anything.

We were all shoved out of the big house and Chiron told us to go back to training. Gwen and Sophia ended up with me and Pollux at the obstacle course. Turns out before they had been working on Sophia's stamina by running laps. Or at least Sophia attempting to run laps and Gwen shooting padded arrows at her to keep her going. Yes, I had some truly weird but devoted friends.


	11. New Space Old Patterns

Chapter Ten: New Space, Old Patterns

"Have you been redecorating?" I asked as I entered the small room inside my own head. In the few times I've been here I noticed that nothing ever changed. Well, not that there was much to change, but still. Alice was usually the only thing inside the room that was never the same thing twice. Like any girl she changed outfits, her hair style changed slightly, and she was always reading or drinking something different. But the room as a whole never changed. The cream color walls remained tastefully decorated with curtains despite the fact there was no windows. The small wooden table and matching chairs didn't move or loose their clean shine. And it appeared that plants like the flowers that were placed around the room couldn't wilt or die. I had come to expect this as the norm so it took me by huge surprise to find a door in the wall directly behind Alice.

She smiled with amusement at my question. Today, or tonight I guess, she was wearing a dark red long sleeved sweater over a black tank top. Dark blue jeans and black ankle boots completed the outfit nicely and made me slightly jealous that she could fill it out better than I probably could. Her hair was in a sleek ponytail that hung low behind her head. "I haven't done anything Sarah."

"Really? Because to me it seems like there is one more door in here then there was last time. Or am I finally going crazy and there is no door?"

She waved towards the empty chair in front of her and I fell into it with a sigh. Looking down at the table there was a silver cup that wasn't there before. The drink inside had a yellow tinge and a sweet, sugary smell that told me right away what it was. I took a sip to find it was the most delicious lemonade I'd ever tasted. Alice watched me with a grin before setting down her own cup.

"That door was not my doing, but yours. And I have to say that it is about time! Do you know how long I've waited to show you the other rooms? Way too long!"

"Didn't we meet like two weeks ago?"

She rolled her eyes. "You only became _aware_ of my presence two weeks ago. I've _existed_ since you were old enough to think coherently."

Seriously?! "Oh. So, um, where does it go exactly? And how come it just appeared? Why now?"

"One question at a time please." Clearing her throat she held up one finger. "The door behind me is just one of the many doors inside your head. One may lead to two, each of those may lead to three or maybe six, some doors are dead ends while others go anywhere. Then there are ones that lead you nowhere and everywhere at once." I opened my mouth to argue the sheer nonsense of this explanation, but her eyes told me to keep silent. When I didn't say anything she held up another finger. "It came into existence because you put it there." A third and final finger. "As for the timeliness of its arrival, you have began to clear the air with old sour grape. Your mind is clearing, focusing, becoming more aware. You have come one step closer to controlling your powers."

"Okay, fine, most of what you say explains a lots. But one thing still gets at me. Why is Mr. D the connection in all of this? I know for a fact that just being in a bad place with your parent doesn't limit your powers. Luke, Percy, Nico, and many others didn't have contact with their parents or thought their parents didn't care. They managed just fine. So why is it only me having this limit?"

Alice sighed and leaned back. "Remember what I told you before, about fatal flaws?"

I nodded. "Yeah, how mine is 'tunnel vision', but so what?"

"Fatal flaws can sometimes hinder your powers, for you it's a mental game. And as you should know, the mind controls the body. And it doesn't matter if you've known them all your life or never even seen them, parents have a way of being a permanent placement in their children's minds. Just so you know it won't always be old sour grape that clogs your thoughts, it can be anyone. At this moment though it is him."

With that said she got up from the table, the first time she ever did. We always just sat; eating, drinking, and talking. When she stood the differences between us became much more clear. At her full height she was a good two and odd inches taller than me (even without the slight height given by the boots). Looking at Alice I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride, knowing this was what I could become someday. If you know, I didn't die first. Alice made her way to the door and motioned me over. Coming to stand beside her I took a closer look at the new door. Like the front door to my inner thoughts, this door had a glass knob. Unlike the heavy, solid dark oak wood door, this one was painted white and made of a less dense wood. The border of the door was carved with swirl patterns that were simple, but beautiful.

"So where does it go?" I ask as I lightly stroked the knob with a finger.

Alice just gave me a shrug. "I don't have an answer for that."  
My hand fell back down to my side as I looked at her with a cocked eyebrow. "You live here, how could you not know?"

"A door can lead you to a different place each time and I don't control where it goes either so don't ask. And even if I could there are places in your mind Sarah that even I'm not aware of."

"So we're just playing this by ear then?"

"Pretty much."

With that reassuring comment I twisted the glass knob and pushed. The door gave away easily to reveal nothing but darkness. I wasn't just going to walk into a place I couldn't see, but Alice wasn't having any of that. I felt her hands on my back as she gave me a slight shove forward. Stumbling into the unknown room I caught my footing just and turned back to see Alice shutting the door. This left us in the dark.

"Well I got to say I was expecting a little more." I quipped as I waved my hand in front of my face to test the dark.

A heard two quick claps come from where Alice should have been. Then the whole room lit up. It was bigger than the sitting room at least by double. The walls were a light blue color with hard wood floors. A light gray couch with matching arm chairs and love seat occupied the center of the room surrounding a large glass coffee table. Along the walls were a few bookcases that held many objects. A few books, a knife or two, my old roller blades, and even a pair of familiar purple sunglasses.

"This is homey." I walked over to the bookcases and started touching everything. Not fully grabbing any particular item, but just skimming my hands over all of them. It was like reliving my life in a brief flash.

"This is just the beginning. That is, if you're up for going deeper. Be warned Sarah. You have opened one door and it will forever remain open. If you find yourself one day opening a less desirable door know that it too will remain open. Forever."

I don't know why, but that sent chills down my spine.

"What do I have to be afraid of? Everything in my head I could possibly open a door on already exists somewhere in my head. Where's the danger?"

"The mind is complex Sarah. We don't know everything that goes on in our subconscious. You may have things in here you've forgotten, naturally or forced. Or maybe one day something will happen and that single event will change the way your mind works. It may even make me fade into nothing more than a memory." She said this with a small indifferent smile that made me angry for some reason.

"What's to smile about? Do you want to not exist one day, to just, to just go poof?!"

She shrugged. "People change Sarah, you can and most likely will."

"How can you be so okay with that?"

"Change is the essential process of all existence."

I opened my mouth to argue, but as I did I felt the pull in my gut. The room and Alice were getting fuzzy and undefined. The dark times between my blinks were getting longer. I was being pulled back to reality. But before I lost sight of her I saw that reassuring smile slip just a bit and what I saw would never leave my mind again. That confident young woman, beautiful and charismatic ever since I saw her, changed. And in her place I saw the ever familiar person who was not so confident in herself. A person who was just a girl, alone and afraid, and maybe even a little sad. I saw myself and realized no matter how grown up I got, some insecurities would never truly go away. And between one blink and the next the darkness took over and I knew no more.

** Once again I must apologize for the unbelievably long update time. What can I say, life hates me sometimes. But this note is for more than my normal outreach to my loyal readers. I just want to say that a couple of days ago the world lost a great man. A man who for decades portrayed someone a little wiser than himself and brought joy to millions. I speak of the late Leonard Nimoy. If you didn't catch it, I used one of his most famous quotes in this chapter. I myself never was a fan of Star Trek, but I can appreciate the series none the less. You will be missed Mr. Nimoy, no one could ever do Spock like you. Suck that Zachary Quinto. Well that's it for this time readers. Live long and prosper.**


	12. Playing Checkers is Serious Business

**Hello my readers! I felt like I need to warn you of possible mature content in this chapter. So there, you were warned. **

Chapter Eleven: Playing Checkers is Serious Business

Usually when I'm pulled out of my meditation it's by Pollux making too much noise or him actually shaking me awake. Then there was one time he was trying to be all spy like and ended up tripping over me. Yeah, he wasn't so good at the "stealth" thing. The point being it was usually Pollux to be the one to disturb me, but when I came to this time it wasn't the sight that threw me off. It was the feeling of lips against my own, a very cold pair of _very _familiar lips. I snapped my eyes open and saw Nico's eyes closed as he worked his lips against mine without a care in the world. In any other situation I would have busted a guy's jaw for kissing me without my permission and while I wasn't all there. But the woozy, light headed feeling I was getting from the kiss took any and all arguments away. I reached up and grabbed the collar of his shirt to pull him in closer, giving me more access to those addicting lips.

I felt a smirk against my mouth. "Well now I know what it takes to get your attention."

"Don't talk, you'll ruin this." I said in between our mashing mouths. Not very elegant, but I never noticed just how much I missed this boy until he kissed me. Now I don't want him to stop.

"As you wish my lady." he stopped talking after that and we just kissed. Well it didn't feel like just kissing, it felt like so much more. It felt like my every nerve was on fire, like my head was in the clouds, and my heart was pounding loudly. Without realizing it I was leaning further and further back until I felt the wood floor against my back. And Nico was on top of me in a familiar way. My mind shot back to when we were in his cabin and wrestling, when he pinned me down the very first time. When it was truly innocent.

But this time it wasn't and I didn't know how to feel about that.

"Nico." I tried to turn my head away even though I really wanted to keep kissing him.

"Sarah." He whispered, but didn't stop. In fact he slipped his tongue into my mouth and my head once again tried to escape to Cloud Nine. But my common sense was getting louder. If we kept this up I knew what would happen and I wasn't sure I was ready for that.

"Nico, stop." I broke the kiss, his eyes opened slightly with a glassy expression still lingering.

"Why?" his glassy eyes become clear and confusion shown through. "Don't you want to?"

I pushed him off and sat up, he reluctantly did the same. "Maybe in time, but Nico don't you think it's a little soon? I mean, we just met not even two months ago."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"It may not mean everything, but it means something! We only started dating a few weeks ago and I've hardly seen you in that time. Now you just show up and you want me to-you want us to-to"

"Play checkers?" he asked sarcastically. "Really Sarah, you can't say sex?"

I felt my face turn red. "I can say it just fine! My point is I feel like it's too much to soon."

"Well sorry if I don't. I love you Violet Eyes and I want to take that step with you. As for time you have to understand some things. I've been alive far longer than others. And when you're a demigod you don't have the luxury of time. We could be here one day and gone the next by monsters or Zeus knows what else. We have to make time count Sarah!"

"Yeah and I could be hit by a bus tomorrow or get squished by a comet falling from space! That doesn't mean I have to 'play checkers' with every guy I date." I stood up and turn away from him with my arms folded across my chest.

"Don't you feel the same way about me?" I heard so many things in that question. Anger, confusion, sadness, and a trickle of fear. Taking a deep breath I turned back to him and looked him in the eye.

"I love you too Goth Boy. Since that first night we met by the lake I knew I loved you. But you can't rush into something if you're not sure. I can't be one of those girls who 'plays checkers' just because the guy wants to. I can't be that way, I can't end up like my mom did-" I couldn't even finish that sentence because I was just too surprised it had come out of my mouth. By his face, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead, Nico couldn't believe it either.

"Is that what this is about?" he asked incredulously. "Are you afraid I'm going to leave you once we 'play checkers' like you're dad did your mom?"

I tried to back track quickly, this was so not what I meant...I think. "Of course not! You're nothing like Mr. D, but you can't say it's not possible. My mom was eighteen when she got pregnant with me and I'm going to be seventeen soon."

Nico got a determined look in his eyes and walked over to me. I should have backed away but I didn't and I felt his hands grab my arms in a vice grip.

"It's not possible Sarah for two reasons. One being I would never be so careless as to get you pregnant so young, when neither you or I are ready for that. And two, even if I did I would never leave you. I love you and it would take more than all the powers of Olympus to stop me." Thunder boomed somewhere in the distance.

My eyes felt prickly. "How can you be so sure you love me that much when we haven't even known each other for a summer?"

A small smile graced his face as he lifted one hand to rest against my cheek. "How did you?"

Then yes there was a tear followed by two and then ten. My whole face was wet before I realized it. "Because I just knew."

"Exactly." he leaned in and kissed me again, but this time it was chaste and sweet. It was more intimate than passionate, but made me feel perfect all the same. He broke the kiss this time and pressed his forehead against mine. "I'll wait as long as you need me to Sarah, I'm not going anywhere."

The tears were flowing freely now, but I smiled anyway. "Thank you." I was pulled into a hug and just let myself be held for a while. It felt nice.

"Nico?" I asked after what felt like an eternity.

"Hm?" he purred against my ear, causing shivers down my spine.

"What would you do if that happened? Hypothetically, if I got pregnant?"

He rubbed a hand up and down my back, pulling me closer to him. I couldn't move if I wanted to.

"I'd whisk you away to the Underworld where no one could ever hurt you or our kid. We'd be together for always." He looked as young as me and did some childish things sometimes. But Nico Di Angelo was an old soul and could act more mature than his physical appearance. It comforted me knowing he was mature enough to think about the reality of these things. But it terrified me as to what his solution was.

Seeing as the light outside had already faded away I guess people, Pollux, would be coming around soon. "We should get cleaned up." I pulled back and gestured to our matching messy hair and ruffled clothes.

He smirked. "You look tired. Long day?"

I just nodded, not wanting to explain the whole meditation thing right now. I blinked and was in his arms once again. Without warning darkness over took us and I felt cold. It only lasted a second and when it faded I found myself standing in the Hades cabin, next to Nico's huge bed.

"I'm tired, you're tired, and I don't want to be away from you right now. I'll even sleep over the covers if you want, but please don't say no." he pleaded.

"Just sleeping? No checkers?"

"No checkers." He sat down on one side of the bed.

After another moment I slid onto the bed and underneath the covers. Everything smelled like him and it felt right. I felt him crawl up beside me, on top of the covers like he promised, and put his arms around me. My eyes were already closing by the time we settled in. The last thing I was aware of was him whispering in my ear.

"I'm more of a Chutes and Ladders guy anyway."

**Leave reviews and tell me what you think!**


	13. In Which My Skin Should be Green

Chapter Twelve: In Which My Skin Should be Green

Waking up I noticed three things.

I was in Nico's bed.

Said person wasn't next to me even though I distinctly remember his arms around me last night.

And there was a sticky note stuck to my forehead.

Without sitting up I pulled the yellow note off. A handwriting that was slightly sloppy yet readable sprawled across the note in what I assume is black sharpie.

"Important meeting with dad, had to go but I will be back soon. Love Nico." I read out loud to no one. At first nothing happened. I didn't feel anything as I let the situation sink in. Then I was pissed. "What the hell?!"

I flung the covers off and quickly got off the bed. I glared down at the covers and pillows with such intensity I could have set fire to them. He just left?! After being gone for weeks he finally shows up and then he just disappears again! I grabbed a pillow and hurled it across the room, it hit one of his shelves and knocked something off. But I really didn't care. Was this going to be a reoccurring thing with us? He leaves for an ungodly amount of time, then returns for all of five seconds just to slip away when I'm not looking? What if we had 'played checkers' the night before, would he still had gone? I grabbed the remaining pillow and threw it at the window.

Deciding to spare the covers from my wrath I looked down at myself and remembered that I had slept in the cloths I was wearing yesterday. Which means I have to go back to my cabin to change and most likely have to come up with an excuse for Pollux. Wait, no I don't! Nothing happened and I shouldn't have to lie about it anyway! I slip my shoes on and stomp over to the door before throwing it open. The few campers that were around looked to me before their eyes widened. I was _so _not in the mood for this crap today.

"Take a frickin' picture why don't you? Or better yet get some lives of your own!" I basically screamed at them and they scattered. A small amount of satisfaction came over me. After days of trying to ignore the looks and dodge the comments it felt great to just tell them to eff off.

I made the quick walk to my cabin before throwing that door open to, it slammed against the inside wall as I stepped in. Pollux look up from his dresser drawer with wide eyes at my entrance.

"Geez Sarah! What did that poor door ever do to you?" he asked as I slammed the door shut. I stomped past him to get to my own dresser.

"Shut up." I growled. I opened my first two drawers and grabbed the first pair of jean shorts and t-shirt I touched before heading to the small bathroom to change. I could hear Pollux moving to stand by the door.

"And why the ever so loving mood this morning?" I heard his sarcastic question through the door.

"I said shut up!" I was being awful and I knew he didn't deserve it. But in my mind anger had taken control and all men today could just bite me. I yanked on the dark purple shirt and stepped into my shorts before taking a look in the mirror. My eyes were burning violet, or that could just be my imagination. After re-braiding my hair I took my dirty clothes and exited the bathroom. Pollux hadn't moved from beside the door, but he looked mad now too.

"You are not being nice today. And where were you last night?"

I spun on my foot and glared at him. "Why do you care about where the hell I was? I have my own life and I don't have to check in with you every damn minute of the day!" I snarled. Even I was taken back from the hateful tone, but I didn't show it. Instead I threw my clothes on my bed, grabbed my black chucks, and left. I could feel his eyes on me the whole time.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Page Break~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Let it not be said that anger can't be productive. Because I was finding the anger a great use for training. After leaving the cabin I immediately went looking for someone to tear a hole into. Lucky for me I knew just where to find the best people for the job. Everyone at camp knew that the Ares cabin had weapons training in the arena at the same time every morning. This knowledge was supposed to be used to avoid the ill tempered (and somewhat dangerous) campers. For me, it was a golden ticket to the chocolate factory. All it took to get some attention of the negative sort was to walk in with my sword, insult Clarrise, and it was on like Donkey Kong.

_Whoosh_

I leaned back almost in half, but managed to keep my balance as Clarrise's spear swept over me just an inch away from my nose. Turning my back bend into a one hand aided flip I stood straight and held my sword in defense.

"Is that really the best you got? I was so looking for a challenge today, but I haven't even broken a sweat yet. You're slipping Clarrise."

"Let's see if you're still this cocky after the Apollo kids piece you back together." she stabbed at my middle but I twisted my body to dodge it. Instead of twisting away I went in closer to her and jabbed her with the handle of my sword getting a grunt in response. It went on like that for awhile. She'd attack, I would dodge. For the most part I was just playing around so I stuck to defense and let her wear herself out. When we hit the ten minute mark I was getting bored.

"Seriously, are you even trying? Maybe I should have asked the Aphrodite cabin to spar with me. They might have put up a decent fight." That earned me a feral growl as she lunged at me, just as I wanted her too. Putting all my strength and anger in one sideways blow I landed a hit right in the middle of her spear. A heard a _crack _as it went sailing through the air only to land twenty feet away. Clarrise had only a second to look back at me before I kicked her in the stomach and sending her back a few feet. She landed on her back trying to suck air in to replace the amount I knocked out.

"And that's how it's done." I smirked and stored away my sword back to my side holster. While on any other day this victory would be sweet, but today it had only taken the edge off my anger, which still burned red in my gut. Who knew how long I could hold onto it for?

Clarisse got up, her gaze set to kill, but it didn't scare me at all. "Oh suck it up, you're a big girl who lost one fight, deal with it." I snapped before taking my leave of the arena.

I didn't get very far from it when I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Hey-"

Before I could register the voice I grabbed the hand and flipped the person onto the ground in front of me. Light hazel eyes that almost looked golden blinked in surprise. Nick let out a groan before he made to get up.

"Effing hell Sunshine, what was that for?" he stood and rubbed his lower back briefly before he melted back into his carefree stance. "Don't get me wrong I like a girl who likes it rough, but you have to buy me dinner first." he smiled at my reddening face. Unfortunately he misread the redness for embarrassment and not anger. Too late for him, I was at my breaking point.

"Is that all you dumb asses think about?!" I screeched gaining the attention of the few demigods who were on their way to the arena. Just like this morning I turned my deadly glare to them and they fled in the opposite direction. Then I looked at Nick again who looked more confused than scared.

"You do know your eyes are very bright today Sunshine?"

"What, scared all make you crazy for a while?"

He shook his head. "Just an observation. And who are you calling a dumb ass?"

"You and guys in general!" I jabbed my finger into his chest harshly. He didn't even flinch. "From the moment I met you all you do is make jokes and imply to every girl you speak with that they should just jump in bed with you!" I spit at him. It wasn't entirely untrue. He did make a lot of implications, whether joking or not, it left an impression. But what could I expect? A guy that looks as good as Nick Winters probably didn't have any trouble getting girls to play checkers. Probably left them in the morning too.

It took him all of two seconds to connect the dots. One of his eyebrows lifted. "So the black sheep finally made the move huh? Damn I lost ten bucks."

I shoved him hard. "This isn't a joke you jerk!"

Now he was getting mad and I fed off of it. "You don't have to take it out on me. Just because he's lousy in bed doesn't mean you can go around killing everyone."

"What makes you think we played checkers? Because I'm some sort of slut who would do it and then wake up alone the next morning?!" I felt tears prick at my eyes and looked away before they could fall. Last night had ended on such a higher note, then this morning had wiped it all away. He didn't hit it and quit it. But it sure as hell felt like he did. I didn't know if I could take the constant absence and the brief meetings. It wasn't enough for me. Maybe I wasn't enough for him. And then I was crying in front of Nick of all people who had the emotional range of a button.

I felt arms pull me into a hug, but unlike Nico's hugs this one was warm and his arms felt different. Broader, stronger, and _here_. It should have felt awkward, it should have felt wrong, but it didn't. I was feeling comfort.

"I'm sorry. I didn't and will never call you a slut. Trust me I know girls who are and you are nothing like them."

I couldn't talk without my voice cracking. So instead I just nodded into his shoulder while I let the tears fade. That took five minutes. When I felt stable I pulled away not meeting his eyes, this time I was embarrassed. Usually I only cried in private (not that I did it often), but here I was doing it in front of Nick Winters of all people. "I'm sorry you had to get your shirt wet." Was the lamest thing I could have possible said.

Finally looking up I saw a small smile. "It's alright, I look good no matter how wet." Then his smile slipped away. "Are you really okay? Do I have to kick that guy's ass?"

"No. Nothing that serious happened, just me being insecure and childish."

"I doubt that. You wouldn't act this way if it was nothing."

I squeezed my arms that I had some point folded across my chest. "He left this morning. I was still asleep."

"Okay." his face didn't give away anything, I don't think he had enough information.

I sighed. "He's been gone for a long time. And then he shows up last night wanting to play checkers and I said no."

"Play checkers?"

"Have sex." I blushed.

"Please say play checkers, I don't need the mental pics of your boyfriend like that." he said partially disgusted and horrified.

"Fine. He wanted to and I didn't right then. We talked about it and I thought I felt fine. We slept in his bed, but he was gone before I woke up. I thought this time he would stick around a little while."

"Why'd he go if you don't mind me asking?"

I shrugged. "He left a note about a meeting with his dad. It said he be back in a bit, but he said that last time too." It always seemed to be that way. "So I'm just being a brat for not getting time with her boyfriend and taking it out on others because I'm a bitch. Go ahead and say it."

"I think you have a right to be mad, maybe not at others, but in general. I'd be pissed too."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Part of the reason why I don't keep girlfriends is because the last few I had never seemed to have time for me. And no, wanting to spend time with each other is not just a girl thing. So I usually dumped them and tried again. After the last girl a year ago I just gave up. You women of the modern world are never in one place too long."

"So I'm not being a brat for being mad at him, I'm just being normal?"

"Got it in one. But next go talk with one of your girlfriends about this, I have a rep to maintain. If anyone knew that I have a sensitive side I'd be screwed."

"Nick I already know you're a momma's boy. Trust me you can't change my view of you because of this." I smiled for the first time all day. "Besides didn't you know? Girls like guys who can be strong and sensitive."

He rolled his eyes. "Not my type of girl. Anyways I just wanted to swing by and stop Hulk before she made it to the mess hall. Now that the world is safe I have somewhere to be." Nick turned and walked away. And for the first time ever, I really wanted him to stay.


	14. Can Opened Worms Everywhere

Chapter Thirteen: Can Opened Worms Everywhere

After talking with Nick (because I refuse to admit I cried in front of him) the day felt better. Sure, I still had issues with Nico and yes he still wasn't back yet, but I felt better about the whole thing. And things kept feeling that way, until I walked by the big house and saw Rachel standing in the doorway. Then I got this feeling that something was up.

"Hey." I said as I came to stand next to her. The red headed oracle smiled at me.

"What's up Batgirl?"

"Now I was going to ask you the very same thing Robin."

"I thought Gwen was Robin?"

I just shrugged. "There's like four Robins, I'm pretty sure we can stretch the name out. But really what's going on?"

She inclined her head towards the infirmary doorway. "The mystery girl woke up about half an hour ago. Chiron is talking with her now. I was coming to talk to him about something, but I don't want to interrupt."

I slung an arm around her shoulder. "But my dear Robin, that's how you get what you need!" Without another word I strode past her into the house heading straight for the room where I could hear two voices. I didn't even stop in the doorway and the conversation cut off.

"Sarah, what are you doing?" Chiron asked in a slightly annoyed tone which I decided best to ignore.

I took a seat on a unoccupied bed like I owned it. "I heard our sleeping beauty woke up and decided to drop in." I flashed him a smile which got a head shake in response. Then I focused on the now conscious girl. "And who are you?"

The girl just looked at me like I was a crazy person. Her light gray eyes were looking over me with suspicion. Her dark brown hair fell an inch past her shoulders and bangs that fell in a swooping angle, almost covering her left eye completely. She had full eyebrows and a long, but delicate nose. High cheek bones that you could tell baby fat had once clung to defined her face. Now that she was awake and sitting up I could see that she was thin, but curvy. When she caught me eying her closely her wide eyes narrowed. "Who's asking?" A slight Spanish accent tinged her voice.

Falling back on my manners I stuck my hand out. "Sarah Kenneth, Queens born New Yorker."

After studying my hand for a moment she took it and gave a slight shake. "Alexandra Cortez. I'm from Brazil, but I've lived in North Carolina for years now."

"Do you live alone?"

It was at this point that Chiron decided to join in the conversation again. This time he was more stern. "We were just talking about that Sarah before you interrupted. I do believe that you have archery lessons scheduled now."

I easily read that as my dismissal and reluctantly stood. "Well I'll be seeing you later Lex, we'll talk more then. I hope you like superheros!" I smiled excitedly before turning and making my way to the exit. Before I got through it though she spoke again.

"My name is Alexandra!"

"You look more like a Lex. Bye!" I waved and made my way out of the big house where Rachel still waited.

"That went well."

I shrugged. "I got a name, a rough home location, and an excuse to talk to her later. What did you get by standing out here?"

"Fair enough. But there was one thing you didn't take into account when chancing going inside." she gave me a sad look.

"What?"

"Mr. D is coming and he does not look happy, well, he looks more ticked than usual."

I turned my head slightly and realized she was right. Old leopard shirt was coming fast and he had a scowl on his face. Fantastic. "I suggest you run for the hills or at least wherever Percy is right now." I deadpanned. Not needing to be told twice she all but fled the on coming shit storm.

"Sarah." Mr. D stopped just in front me. "Is there something you would like to tell me?"

I cocked an eyebrow. The anger from this morning had died down a lot, but a male with an attitude was not something I needed at the moment.

"I just wanted to talk to her. Geez, wasn't aware it was a crime to be more social with my peers."

He bent over slightly and got really close to my face, not to mention my personal space. His eyes were hard, but I could tell not all the anger was directed at me for some reason. "You know very well that is not what I mean."

Now that had me confused. "So this isn't about Lex?"

He snorted but didn't move away. "Don't try and distract me young lady. You know I'm talking about your horrible attitude towards Pollux."

I turned my head to the side staring out over the main part of camp. Of curse Pollux would run to him the first chance he got. "Look, if you're here to yell at me just do it. I'm already going to say sorry to him when I see him anyway."

Then I felt him grab my chin and turned my head back towards him. His grip was firm yet it wasn't hurting me. Then his tone went full out parental. "That is not good enough. This behavior is unacceptable. You are not to fight with your brother."

"Siblings fight. It's a rule. He's just too sensitive, running to you after every little disagreement we have."

Mr. D's eyes darkened. "He was not upset that you yelled at him it was why you had. Am I correct in understanding that you did not sleep in your cabin last night?"

I felt a huge, cold lump fall into the pit of my stomach. Did Pollux have to tell him that?! He could have just stopped at our fight, but no! He had to go and snitch on me and now I was doomed. And Nico probably would be too if I didn't handle this just right.

Schooling my face I gave him a bored look. "You're right, I didn't. I was with Gwen and Sophia last night."

Somewhere in the back of my mind I was making a list of things I had to do to build this lie. Getting to the two of them before Mr. D did was the first thing. But as I got to number five on my list the whole thing was thrown out the mental window. His grip on my chin tightened and he scoffed.

"Do not lie to me little girl. It will never end well for you."

I didn't blink despite my mental flinching. "I'm not lying."

"You are just making things worse for yourself."

"And you're being paranoid." I snapped.

He let go of my chin but didn't back away. "So it's just a coincidence that the same night your brat boyfriend returns to camp is the very same night you are not to be found in your bed?"

Damn. I could hear it in his tone that he had always known exactly where I had been. He was just giving me a chance to fess up and I lied. He knew. He knew that I spent the night in the Hades cabin with my goth boyfriend where we had already once been caught in a awkward position by the angry man in front of me. He knew it. I knew it. I was screwed and we both knew it.

"Nothing happened!" I blurted not seeing a point in lying anymore. I held my hands up in front of me as if they held the power to stop this conversation. Oh what I wouldn't give for that ability.

I expected him to yell, I expected him to explode with anger. His purple eyes had grown so dark they may as well be black. I tensed and closed my eyes, ready for the boom. But when I felt him grab my wrist and pull me forward into the big house I opened my eyes. He was silent as he pulled me into the far back of the house where I never had been, it was sparsely decorated only having a table and a land lined phone. He practically threw me at the phone, the room felt really cold right then under his gaze.

"Call your mother." he hissed, it sounded like he was trying not to unleash the unholy horror of his anger.

I blinked once. Then twice. "What?"

"You are to call your mother and tell her exactly where you were last night. After you are done you are to go straight to your cabin _and no where else._" he stressed "You wait for me there. Am I understood?"

I looked at the phone then back at him. "But I-"

"Am I understood Sarah Elizabeth Kenneth!" he voice was loud and made me feel small.

"Yes." I mumbled, not wanting to make him angrier.

"Yes what?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Yes sir."

He gave me one last cold look before he swept out of sight. A nagging feeling in my gut told me he was Nico Hunting. I got the same feeling it was going to become his new favorite sport. Turning back to the old phone I picked the receiver up and dialed the number I had memorized at three years old. It rang only twice before she picked up.

_"Hello?" _my mom's familiar and warm voice came through the phone.


	15. In Which I Have the Best Mom

Chapter Fourteen: In Which I Have the Best Mom

_"Hello?" _

In just that one word I can practically see my mom holding the phone to her head, brown curls cascading down and over the device. I can picture her standing next to the staircase where the land line sits on a small end table we got at Goodwill. She's standing there in her dress slacks and a well fitted top ready to go into work late as she does most weekends. I used be right beside her as we would go into the city together before going our separate ways. Her to work, me to the library, mall, or to Gwen's. We would meet up later and grab dinner out as we did almost daily. Mom has never been much of a chief and I can only do little things without catching something on fire. So take out is our main food supply.

_"Is someone there?"_ her voice breaks me out of my memories and I take a breath.

"Yeah mom it's me." I smile even though she can't see it. I can feel her smile through the phone.

_"Sarah! How's my baby doing?"_ her tone is instantly motherly and I can't help but internally groan. Mom is more like my best friend than a mother, but she can get seriously overprotective/worried mom when she wanted to be.

"A little old to be called baby, but otherwise okay."

_"You will never be too old until you're older than me. Anyway how's the camp? Is it fun? Are you making any new friends?" _

"In order still too old. Fine. Kind of. Yes."

_"You actually made friends?"_

I put my hand on my hip. "Yes I made friends, geez mom, way to be blunt. I'm not a total social pariah."

_"Sorry, but you only ever hang out with Gwen around here. So what are they like, what are their names?" _she sounded way too excited which made me realize just how little of a social life I really did have back home. Gwen was really my only friend back there and when we didn't do things together I hardly did anything at all.

I leaned against the wall and propped my right foot against it. "Well there's Gwen, obviously."

_"Obviously."_

"Then there's Sophia, she's a daughter of Aphrodite, but she's totally kick ass."

_"Language."_ she quickly chastised, but it had no real bite to it.

"Sorry. Sophia is great and she, Gwen, and I really get along. Sometimes I go see a girl named Rachel and we nerd out. Then there's Annabeth (Athena kid) and her boyfriend Percy (son of Poseidon) who spars with me from time to time. Some of the Hermes kids are great. A new guy we brought back to camp a while ago, Nick, on a quest and before you ask we did fine and came back in one piece. Pollux...well he's my half brother." I stopped and waited. Pollux wasn't who I should be talking about, but I felt like I should stall as long as I could.

_"Half brother?"_ she asked quietly.

"Yeah. He's nice and looks out for me." though I don;t need him to.

She's quiet for a moment before her voice picks up. _"That's great honey. I'm glad you have someone to have your back. Let him know he is always welcome here whenever he wants."_

Another thing I love about my mom is just how accepting she is. Maybe that might just save me after I tell her the next part.

"I will." I pulled the phone away and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "Mom, I called for a reason."

I heard her sigh. _"This isn't just a 'I miss you call' is it?"_

I shook my head before realizing she couldn't see. "No. Mr. D made me call, told me I had to tell you some things."

_"Are you two getting along?"_

"Mom one major thing at a time please." my frustration towards the man seeped into my voice.

_"Alright, but at some point we will talk about this kid. So what did he want you to tell me?"_

I swallowed a lump in my throat and it sounded like the loudest noise in the universe. "I forgot to tell you about another friend I have here, well, he's here most of the time."

_"He?"_ her voice questioned and I knew she knew something was coming.

"Yes mom, he. His name is Nico, son of Hades."

_"That's great hun." _

"He's also my boyfriend." I said quickly. Hoping this would be like ripping of a band aid. The other end of the phone was silent. "Mom? You, uh, still there?"

_"Yeah I'm here. It's just, wow, a boyfriend!"_

"A boyfriend." I confirmed.

_"I thought you'd be in college before you even thought about boys like that."_

"Mom!" my cheeks blushed "I'm sixteen,"

_"Yes, but come on Sarah you've never been like other sixteen year olds. He must be something to get your attention."_

"No, I mean yes, sort of. He wears a lot of black."

_"Is he hot?"_

"Mom!"

_"What? Can't I ask questions?"_

"No!" This was really not the conversation I wanted to have with her.

_"So your father made you call to tell me you have a boyfriend?"_

"Uh...more or less."

_"Why do I get the feeling you are leaving something important out?"_

"It's just-" but I don't know how to say it, to tell her what happened, what didn't happen, what almost happened. And the aftermath of just one stupid night.

_"Sarah, honey, you know you can tell me anything right? I'm your mom and I will always be here to listen. I won't judge you."_ she says in the most honest, warmest voice. The same one she used to assure me there were no monsters underneath my bed, that school wouldn't be so bad, that I was pretty when Erica Marshall called me ugly in third grade, that I had a dad and he did care about me, and when she told me she loved me more than anything.

That tone broke me and I told her everything. I started from the night we met and the circumstances around it. I told her about our talks and the times we spent together. I told her how we met up in the Underworld and stole from his dad's vault. How he kissed me after. I told her how he whisked our group back to camp after our quest and how we became officially a couple. When I told her about his numerous absences is when the anger and sadness crept into my tone. I explained what had happened when Mr. D caught us that first time and that it was totally innocent. Then I ended telling her about last night. About how Nico wanted to go further and how I was just so happy to see him that I almost let him. How I didn't let it happen, that I might have wanted it to, and what really went on. How Mr. D found out and this is where everything ended up. My eyes leaked a few tears, some in frustration, some in anger, and some in sadness that I was feeling so weak and stupid. No sixteen year old girl should have to go to their mom, they were way too old for that.

And through this whole explanation she was silent, never once making a peep. Her breathing was the only indication that she was still there and listening to my ranting.

I took several deep breaths to stop from breaking down into full blown sobs. This was way more emotional than I thought. "Mom please say something."

_"What could I say to calm you down?" _she asked in a neutral voice.

"I don't know! Anything! That I'm not in over my head, that it's okay to want to do those things, that you're not-" ashamed of my choices. Because to me, her opinion meant everything. But I couldn't say it. Luckily I didn't have to.

_"Sarah. I'm proud of you, I always have been. You could never do anything to make me not proud of you."_

"Uh huh." I mumbled.

_"I mean it Sarah! You're a good kid, better than I was at your age. You think things through before you act. I would give anything to have been that smart when I was young. But honey, you're a teenager. You're allowed to be this way, crazy and illogical. It's normal."_ Huh, so she agreed with Nick. _"I'm happy you found someone, but if you're not happy then you need to say something to him. You can't just pretend like everything's okay again when he decides to show up. I don't want you to be that kind of girl."_

"Okay. You're right, it's just hard."

_"That's being in a relationship honey, if it were always easy then it would be worth nothing. But I feel like I need to be clear with you on somethings."_ I could feel her psyching herself up._"I'm not going to tell you not to have sex."_

I let that sink in before I risked talking. "What?" Surely I must have heard her wrong.

_"You're a teenager Sarah and I've been where you are. I'm not going to forbid this from happening because I'm not stupid in thinking it will never happen."_

"Then what are you telling me?"

_"I'm not going to tell you a thing. I'm asking you to be careful. I'm asking you to think before anything happens and to be sure it's what you want. If you are going to have sex I just want you to have all the facts."_

"You know I'm pretty sure Mr. D wants you to yell at me or forbid me from even having these thoughts."

She snorted through the phone. _"That man can be over bearing and hypocritical. We got together just after I turned eighteen. You're going to turn seventeen soon enough. If he gives you a hard time about this call tell him he is more than free to talk to me about it. But more importantly, if you ever need to talk about this, you call me okay?"_

I nodded and wiped my face with my free hand. "Okay. But I do have one question. Have you ever- did you ever regret getting together with Mr. D and having me so young?"

_"I can't believe you asked that. Sarah while I admit it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, it was one of the best decisions of my life. I know you can't see it, but he is a really amazing guy. And he gave me you. I have no regrets. Not a one. Well, there was that bad perm in middle school I got, but besides that none."_ Leave it to mom to fix everything with a dumb joke.

"Thanks. I got to go, but you know, love you." I said feeling better than I had all day.

_"Love you sweetie. Call me whenever."_

"Whenever." I agreed.

I hung the phone up and found that I couldn't stop smiling. Even as I left the big house to go back to my cabin and face the wrath of a god, I never stopped smiling.


	16. Where I Put My Conversed Foot Down

Chapter Fifteen: Where I Put My Conversed Foot Down

Mr. D was not at the cabin when I returned and neither was Pollux. Not that I expected my brother to be there anyway, he was very adamant about sticking to the training schedule. But as I stood there waiting for my doom in the form of a leopard printed shirt wearing wine god, I suddenly wanted him to be here. Just having him around made me feel safe, like I wasn't so alone. Too bad the cards weren't in my favor right now and I had to just had to woman up and handle the oncoming storm.

Trying to relax my nerves I took a book from my book case and flopped down on my bed. Turning to the marked page I began to reread the story of a boy wizard and his adventures at school. My dyslexia had been a problem from day one when I began learning to read at the age of three. Mom was worried about me falling behind as I entered school so she had found extra help in the form of one Maddilyn Duncan. Maddilyn, I called her Maddie at her own request, had been twenty two at the time and a newly licensed special education teacher. Maddie was the middle child of one of our close neighbors and had agreed to tutor me when she was available. At just over five foot, the small woman held a strong presence and never took crap from anyone. At a passing glance no one would suspect the curly brown headed short woman as anything but sweet and defenseless. It only took one person to insult my inability to read basic words to change that opinion quickly. Needless to say we became the best of friends.

Through her gentle guiding and saint of a temper she taught me ways and techniques to help me understand what I was reading. There good days where I was able to work out words and sentences without problems. Then there were the horrible days when I got so fed up that I would throw tantrums and many a book. Time in between lessons were spent playing games, baking cookies in our kitchen (mostly her because I inherited my mom's lack of cooking skills), and goofing around. It is easily said that those were some of the best times in my life. In the end I worked with Maddie for about six years before she married her long term boyfriend and moved to Seattle. I still see her sometimes when she visits her folks during the holidays, she always asks me about the books I'm reading and if I met anyone yet.

Just as my nerves had fully calmed the door flew open and Mr. D came stalking in. Glancing at the small clock that sat on my dresser I noticed it had been an hour and a half since he left me to talk with mom. Seeing his still angered face had not simmered any told me that he hadn't managed to get a hold of Nico. Not that I really expected him to but still, a dead Nico was one thing I didn't need on my conscious. Deciding to play it cool I sat up and returned my bookmark to its place, setting the book to my side.

"You know it's considered rude to enter a woman's room without knocking." Technically it was Pollux's room too, but details bore me.

His glare locked onto me and I knew I wouldn't be able to shake it off. "Right now is not the time to be smart with me young lady." he growled.

I just shrugged. "There never is." I met his gaze head on. "You won't find him and I forbid you from doing anything to him."

"You seem to forget that I am the adult and you are the child. If I decide to skin that good for nothing boy alive that is no business of yours little girl." he snarled.

I stood up and put my hands on my hips. "No, _you _seem to forget that it is my business because he is my boyfriend. And he is not a good for nothing boy! Since the day I met him he has been nothing but caring and considerate. He may not be considered a man yet but he is not a boy, just as I am not a little girl. I may be a minor but a child is one thing I'm not. When are you going to realize that?"

"You will always be a child to me, I am far older than you can imagine."

"That is a bullshit excuse!" I snapped.

"Language!"

"No! I'm tired of you treating me like I'm five."

"You act like you are a five year old who cannot make good choices if your life depended on it."

"Oh how stupid of me. Making decisions on my own about my life makes me a child and doing everything you tell me to do makes me an adult. Thank you so much for clearing that up." At this point my sarcasm scale has gone through the roof.

"So sleeping with your boyfriend at sixteen is making a good decision about your life?"

Now I had it. "I. Did. Not. Sleep. With. Nico." I grind out through clenched teeth. "I didn't believe it was the right time. Even if I had, and mom agrees with me on this, that is my decision alone to make. One that she fully supports me in making."

The room went silent as his eyes widened in horror. "What did you two talk about?!"

I crossed my arms. "She thinks you're a hypocrite and that she trusts me to make my own decisions. Oh, and if you have any concerns to call her and leave me alone about it."

He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "That woman is the most unreasonable, insufferable, thoughtless person I have ever met!"

"And yet you slept with her when she was still a teenager so you really have no leg to stand on."

"There is a mortal saying that implies you should do as I say and not as I do."

"Yeah and there's a saying about leading by example and you blew that one too. How much stock do you really want me to put into these sayings?"

"You have the same problem your mother does with quick wit. It will come back to bite you one day." he glared at me.

"Goody for me then that I have a bigger bite. Now if that is all you wanted to discuss you may leave now." I picked my book back up and flipped to the page marked.

"What makes you believe this is the end of our conversation?" he demanded, but I didn't lift my eyes from the book.

"Well let's see. You stormed in here. Check. You insulted not only me but mom too. Check. You threatened the greatest and only guy I've ever dated. Check. You demeaned my abilities at making life choices. Check. I made my very excellent points. Check. You completely ignored them. Check. And now I'm angry at you. Check. And you're even more disappointed in me. Check. Did I leave out anything?" my voice was low and easily laced with sarcasm and anger.

He just looked at me not responding, but not holding back either. It was like for once he was trying to figure out what to say next without causing another screaming match.

"Do you really think so little of me and my opinions?" the snooty appearance of a god was still there in all its glory, but the words themselves seemed a little guarded. As if my view of him actually mattered to him at all.

"I think that after sixteen years of being without a dad or any father like figure has left me without a need for one. I don't need your opinions, I don't need your help, and frankly I don't need your hurtful words in my life. I have mom, she's all I need. Go be a father to somebody else." My voice never rose, but the force of them were as though I had screamed them at him. I saw a flash of emotion cross his face before he turned stony once more.

I didn't look up from my book as the door slammed shut. I stared at the first page long after the sound had gone, after the light had changed from the windows. I still hadn't flipped the page when the door opened again, gentle this time, letting me know it was Pollux who entered. He didn't say anything and I didn't say anything, but the silence said it all. And for the first time in what seemed like ages, I felt the need for a hug and someone to tell me that I had done the right thing.


	17. Another Fandom Another Friend

Chapter Sixteen: Another Fandom Another Friend

"So what's up with people avoiding you?" a voice asked behind me. Turning away from the target with my arrow still drawn my eyes met the gray ones of Lex Cortez. She looked different than the last time I saw her, two days of rest and nectar had given her a healthy glow. Unfortunately that glow didn't seem to make her any less cold to me. Her slight glare confirmed it.

"Why do you think people avoid me?" I countered as I re-focused on the target. Drawing an even breath I lined the shot and released. The arrow missed the bulls eye, but landed a respectable distance from the outer ring.

"Because only a few people actually talk to you, others just whisper and scatter when you come close. It doesn't take a genius to make a deduction, so what did you do kill a monster?"

"No that would only give me bragging rights for like, a day maybe." I notched another arrow and took aim. I had to mentally remind myself to relax my elbow or the aim would be off. I lowered it slightly and exhaled. I released. The arrow soared through the air, when it made contact it just skimmed the inner ring. So close! "You feeling better?"

She eyed me, probably looking for signs of sarcasm. Her face relaxed a bit but the glare stayed. "Yes thank you." Looking me over a few more times she smiled. "I've got you figured out."

"Excuse me?" I finally put the bow and arrow down giving her my full attention. Lex was getting more and more odd by the second.

Lex took a deep breath. "You don't seem stuck up or bitchy which tells me you are not a social outcast because of your attitude. From what I've observed from your interaction with your few friends I've noticed some things. You are kind but have a high level of natural sarcasm which people interpret either as charming or rude. This is common though. You are a mostly laid back person despite the fact you tend to work hard during training and after. The friends you have here you have made into a close extended family which suggests that you have a small/non existent family in which not all your emotional issues are not addressed. I gathered that last part by your constant need of putting others first in an act of subconscious self fulfillment. The fact that you are physically attractive has not gained you any sort of romantic relationship in the past and that your current one is not based on something so shallow either. You are a total nerd which gives you a feeling of control in your life as you get to pick and choose what effects it. You and you're godly parent do not get along."

Now I knew my mouth was hanging open and that flies could easily fly right in, but I couldn't bring myself to close it. My brain was malfunctioning. "How-what-I don't-"

"Please finish at least one of those questions." she asked pointedly as if my stuttering was annoying and not at all her own fault.

"How the hell did you come up with _any _of that?!"

"Deduction. That and I'm a people person."

"There's no way you could have guessed-"

"Deduced." she snapped.

"Fine! 'Deduced' any of that from just watching me. You would have had to know or had someone tell you before hand."

Lex just shrugged. "It is possible to make such deductions about people, you just have to know what to look for. I'm really good at reading people, observing them. But you are also correct that nothing is absolutely correct. I usually only miss one or two things. However, I'm confident that I made all rightful conclusions."

The scary thing was that she, to some extent, had said things that were true. This girl was different than the other campers. Then a thought occurred to me.

"You watch Sherlock don't you?"

Her eyes lit up. "When it's not on a super ridiculous break in between seasons. But I know where you're going with this. The show didn't turn me onto the art of deduction."

"Then what did? You can't stand there and tell me you were always this way."

"No, but I've always been good with people. Talking to them, connecting with them, and just plain understanding them. But when I first came to America I spoke very little English and read even less. I picked up the speaking language fast enough, but reading it was hard when you're not really interested. That and everything shifts around."

"You're also dyslexic." It wasn't a question but she nodded anyway.

"They told me to pick a book that I found interesting. This was supposed to help me become invested in learning to read English. I picked a collection of books known as the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I fell in love with the character and was inspired. The rest they say is history."

And before I could stop myself I closed the distance between us and hugged her.

"A fellow nerd! And a bookish one at that, I've hit the jackpot!"

She started to struggle. "Get off me you weirdo!"

"Don't reject the love you little nerd! Embrace your people." I laughed and eventually I let go. "We don't have enough nerds around here. Mainly it's me, Rachel, and well Gwen is sort of like a nerd, but has a larger base in reality. Now you can be added to the roster."

Lex was straightening her oversized camp shirt while seething. "What makes you think I want to be around you and you're little friends?"

"Okay first off honey you shouldn't call people little when you're practically a midget. Secondly I think if you gave us a chance you would really like being friends."

"I don't need friends here."

"Better than having more enemies right?"

"You are such a dork!" And with that Lex stormed off, but I could tell she wasn't all that mad, more caught off guard than anything else.

"And loving every minute of it!" I called to her retreating form before turning my attention back to the forgotten target.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~Page Break~~~~~~~~~~~**

"So she's basically a short, Brazilian Sherlock Holmes?" Rachel asked as we relaxed on her sofa.

"Yep, but with a much better personality." I honestly meant that. Despite the slightly hostile attitude she had given me I could tell there was much more to Lex than she lead on. She was guarded, not cold and beneath the hard shell she wore there was a confused girl tossed into a world she didn't understand. A world where monsters constantly try to kill you and where you couldn't be normal if you tried. Still hadn't figured out much about her home life or anything close about her parentage.

"She's going to be a game changer." Rachel said suddenly and I snapped my head towards her.

"Vision?"

She shook her head. "Really strong feeling."

"I don't care for those much either, still way too vague. Do you think she has something to do with my quest?"

"She could have everything to do with it or nothing at all. Still too soon to tell. Lighten up, you'll get it done, everyone knows it."

"Yeah." I said under my breath, but she just ignored it as we lapsed into silence. This was one of the things I loved abut Rachel. We could sit in total silence and be completely comfortable. Gwen always had a need for some kind of background noise if we weren't talking. "Speaking of the quest though I have a question."

"Shoot."

"Do you know what man's first gift was?"

No clue. Before I met Percy on that dam mythology was never a topic around me. You'll want to ask Sophia or someone else. All I know is that man's first gift caused trouble."

"For who?"

"For the one who gave it."

"Well that's not ominous at all." I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up, we have a serious issue here."

"Like what?"

"like deciding if Sherlock Holmes is a better detective than Batman."

I sat up straight. "You shut your face! Batman is way better than Holmes." I smiled as she tried not to laugh at my sudden change in mood. Then we were both laughing hard, rolling around until I fell right off the sofa.

"What did I miss that was so funny?" a voice came from the doorway and my laughter died in my throat.

Standing in the entrance was Nico in all his dark glory. He was wearing a smirk that told me just how much he enjoyed hearing me laugh. Too bad for him he wouldn't be hearing much of it anytime soon. While I had gotten over most of my anger I still had a bitter taste in my mouth about his vanishing act.

I stood up and crossed my arms. "Where the hell have you been?"

His smirk disappeared and his forehead wrinkled a little in confusion. "Didn't you read my note?"

"Yes. It said you had to meet your dad and that you would be back quickly."

He held his arms out. "And I'm here."

I uncrossed my arms only to put them on my hips. "That was two days ago! In what universe is that considered quick?"

Now Nico looked unsure as he looked to Rachel. "Can we be alone?"

"Dude this is my cave."

"Nico, stop." I turned to Rachel. "Thanks for chatting, I'll see you later."

"Don't be a stranger."

I walked towards the door and past Nico without casting him a glance. "We need to talk. Now."


	18. Demands in the Form of an Invitation

Chapter Seventeen: Demands in the Form of an Invitation

Deciding I didn't want this potentially loud conversation in public I started walking towards my cabin, that is until Nico grabbed my elbow and pulled me another way.

"Let's go to my cabin. I don't want to run into Pollux."

"Running into Mr. D should be your biggest concern."

"Why?" he asked confused as we got to his door.

"Because until I yelled at him yesterday he was convinced we had sex." I figured being blunt was the best course of action. Nico went pale, or well, even more pale than he already was. And that's saying a lot.

"What?! Why would he think that?"

"Because he found out that I spent the night in your cabin, not to mention your bed, and made assumptions."

"But you told him we didn't right?"

"I tried. Many. Times. The last time got through, but it ended with us back to not acknowledging each other."

He was quiet, as though he was debating on what to say. His dark eyes looked into mine. "I'm sorry Sarah."

That old anger that I had burned out days ago came roaring back with vengeance. "Really? That's all you're sorry for?" I snapped as I pushed past him to go inside. Things were about to get ugly.

He followed me in. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Oh I don't know. Maybe it's that fact that I'm mad at you and you're being annoyingly clueless about the reason why!"

"Well how can I know unless you tell me?" he responded. Nico wasn't angry yet, but he was getting there.

"Because it should be obvious! I mean, really Nico? We came this close, this freaking close-" I pinched my finger and thumb close, but not touching, and held it up. "-to having sex. After you told me you loved me and wanted to be with me, I wake up in the morning and you're just gone!" I was yelling now. "Did it ever occur to you how I might have felt? What I was thinking? That if we had gone through with it would you still have left me before I even woke up!"

I didn't know when the tears started, but it didn't matter. Nico had closed the distance between us and held me close in a hug. A warm one too given that he is usually so cold. One hand was rubbing circles into my back, the other was holding me against him. It was one of the most comforting things anyone had ever done for me.

"Shhh. I'm sorry. You're right, it's my fault. And had it been any other reason I would have stayed. If we had, you know-"

"Played checkers." I gave a small watery grin against his shirt.

He chuckled. "Yeah, played checkers. If we had I wouldn't have left even if the world was ending."

"Then why did you have to go this time?" I wasn't crying much anymore, but Nico didn't loosen his hold on me. And I didn't want him to.

"My dad wanted to talk to me...about you."

Regrettably I was the one who push away, just enough to meet his eyes. "About me? What could your dad want with me?"

I had a list of reasons why the Lord of the Underworld, the ruler of a third of existence, Hades himself would want to talk to me. And not a single one was positive. I imagine one of the reasons would be because me, Nico, Gwen, and Sophia had broken into his vault of treasures and stole a stone. Not just any stone though, a stone that could grant the holder the power to see the souls of dead people. A really important and powerful artifact, but Hades had treated it as nothing more than a trinket. Nevertheless, stealing from a god probably doesn't sit well with said god. Even if it were a matter of life or death, which it totally was! He could also be pissed that I hadn't made a single attempt to return it. And I wasn't going to. The stone was mine now as far as I was concerned and I would only give it up to one person. Thanatos. It was he who created it and should be the rightful owner of it.

Nico had been starring at me as though he knew I was far off in my thoughts and was waiting until he knew he had my attention again. I really love that about him, how he just gets my weird thinking ways.

"He wants me to bring you to the Underworld as soon as possible. Demanded it in fact. You, Violet Eyes, are in high demand. As it turns out Persephone has been nagging at me to bring you back for a visit. I've been blowing her off though."

It was then that a thought occurred to me that should have been obvious when I met her the first time.

"Nico. Why is Persephone in the Underworld right now? I don't know a whole lot about the old stories, but isn't she only suppose to be there in Winter?"

He nodded. "Late Fall and Winter, but things are happening. Thanatos's disappearance was only the beginning. Olympus knows something is starting, something old and evil. Unfortunately it is also something powerful."

"Like Kronos?"

"Worse, but he isn't telling me what. None of the gods are talking, they hardly talk to each other about it. Probably they're hoping time will reveal a solution or something like that. Like the last time things were getting bad, dad called Persephone back to the palace. With her mother in tow. Gods that was awful."

"So she's back because Hades thinks something bad is going to happen and she wants her to be safe."

"I guess. Frankly I never know where those two stand with each other."

'They love each other.' Is what I wanted to say, but even I found the whole thing a bit twisted. There had been a time when the two were truly in love. Don't believe that story that everyone thinks they know, the one about Hades stealing Persephone away and keeping her captive. The truth was told to me from the Spring goddess herself. She and Hades had met multiple times and eventually they fell for each other. Persephone went with him to the Underworld willingly and for a time all was good. Then Persephone had started to feel weaker and weaker the longer she was there. A goddess of Spring could not survive well in the realm of the dead, no matter how hard she tried.

And she had tried so hard for Hades, but in the end it wasn't enough. In the end she told her husband that she needed to return to the world above. And not wanting to lose her, Hades had tricked his wife into eating pomegranate seeds. Thus binding her to the Underworld forever. This was what caused her to first feel hatred for Hades, for she thought if he really loved her then he would have let her go. And he didn't. Of course while this was all going on her mom Demeter goddess of the harvest and things like that essentially was causing the mortal realm to suffer. But no one really cares about that part now do they? Since then Hades and Persephone were in this love/hate relationship that could give anyone a migraine if they tried to keep track of it.

"So is this an optional kind of thing or a I have to sort of thing?"

"Have to. If not he'll just keep demanding it and it's not wise to say no to a god's command."

"Damn. I was afraid you'd say that. When exactly is he expecting us?" I was already thinking of how long I had to grab what I would need and tell Gwen and Sophia I was leaving. Pollux too if I saw him, after the fight with Mr. D, Pollux seemed to be as angry with me as Old Sour Grape was. It had hurt just a little knowing that when push came to shove, Pollux wouldn't choose me over his dad. I pushed that feeling down far into the corners of my mind, I didn't have time for it now.

"Now."

"What?! Are you freaking kidding me? I can't go now! I'm in work out shorts and a shirt that has a stain on it from combat practice." Not to mention my hair looked horrible and my make up had for the most part melted off my face.

"If I let you go and change would you please not be like every girl and take an hour?" he whined, but I could tell he was teasing me.

"Fine, but let's get one thing straight. I was going to go change whether or not you let me. I don't just up and meet gods looking like a hobo."

"The prettiest hobo I've ever seen."

I smacked him across the chest and pecked him quick on the lips. "I'll be quick as the Flash."

"Who?"

"Oh my gods it's worse than I thought." I said as I hurried out the door. Eventually I'll have to sit that boy down in front of a TV and teach him about all things superhero. A date night for the ages. I couldn't wait.

Getting to my cabin didn't even take a minute. I ran to my dresser taking out the only pair a dark blue dress jeans I had. From the small wardrobe I took out a dark crimson top that had fake silver jewels decorating the scoop neck line. It was an elegant shirt that was fitting, but also flowed off at the bottom. The sleeves were made to drape down to a little above my elbows giving me room to move. Throwing them on quickly and grabbing a pair of closed toe black heels from the very bottom of my trunk I slipped them on. My make up didn't take much to fix, but I did add just a touch of eye liner. O looked at my hair and for once I decided to take it out of the braid. Now for anyone else this would cause their hair to be horrible wavy and unpleasant. But my hair had always been naturally straight. Letting it down I ran a brush through it a couple of times and found that most of the straightness had held. The only thing the braid did was give it a bit of body.

I was ready. Quickly grabbing my sword I ran back out the door, only to bump into Nico.

"I was coming as fast as I could, it's only been like ten minutes!" I said as I noticed him not saying anything. He just kept looking at me. "Okay maybe I was pushing fifteen, but I just can't be like Sophia and be perfect looking at a moment's notice." He still wasn't saying anything. "What are you looking at Goth Boy?"

Before I knew what was happening I found myself being dipped back and kissed. It ended just as it started, but I didn't miss the smirk on his face as he pulled away.

"If that's what you can do on fifteen minutes, I'm glad I didn't give you an hour."

"Why is that?" I asked still trying to catch my breath from the sizzle of the kiss.

"You would be way too beautiful and we wouldn't make it through the door." he replied and I could see the want in his eyes. I also couldn't deny that I felt that way a little too.

"You don't clean up bad yourself there handsome."

He hadn't really changed his clothes, but his face had been washed and his hair combed. Small things that made a big difference in the long run.

"Shall we go my lady?"

"We shall."

Then everything became a familiar shade of dark.

I was falling hard.

And not just into the Underworld either.


	19. Awkward Meetings and Not Casual Insults

Chapter 18: Awkward Meetings and Not so Casual Insults

Shadow traveling was getting easier to handle, but it could stand for improvement. The cold still shocked my nerves and the sudden black out doesn't help keep me from panicking. At least the motion sickness had gone, not to mention having Nico's arms around me made everything easier to take. After opening my eyes I found my cabin gone and instead looked around the entrance to the Underworld. You would think that after being here once that the place would lose its scare. I would call you a dirty liar. The dark cave with skulls littered around us were not now and would never be charming or welcoming.

"So why are we all the way back here when you could probably take us directly to the palace?"

His arms let go of my waist and I instantly missed the warmth. My discomfort dissipated as his hand closed around mine leading me forward.

"I did say that you are in very high demand Sarah. It's not only my father and Persephone that want to see you." he said smiling.

I didn't have to wait to understand what he was implying as we came to stand in front of an old boat. This was no ordinary boat mind you, but the infamous boat of myth that souls would travel on to reach Hades's kingdom. And at the helm of the boat stood no other than the equally infamous Charon. True, he was an unfeeling bastard most of the time; uncaring about the stories of those he ferried across the river Styx and any demigods who were brave (dumb) enough to come down here. You had to be emotionless if not cruel to do this job for so long. However, the last time I had visited this place, Charon and I had struck some sort of tolerable acquaintanceship. More so if the look on his face was anything to go by.

"And the young prince brat returns. At least you brought her, now you can stop moping about. It's getting pathetic." he smirked, but I could see a gleam of playfulness in his old eyes. Nico must have too because he mocked glared in return.

"I do not mope old man."

I hid a giggle behind my hand as we stepped onto the boat. I wonder if anyone has ever fallen in? Looking down into the dark, dirty water, I could only imagine what lay beneath. A chill shuddered through me.

The boat ride was quick and painless. Charon just steered and occasionally sent an amused smirk towards Nico, whom, had yet to release my hand since we entered the Underworld. Nico, for the most part, ignored the ferry man and kept glancing at me. He knew I was worried. And how could I not be? Meeting Persephone was one thing, but Hades was in a class all his own. My childhood times flipping through mythology books had given me some basic information on the gods, but none more than the big three. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades were brothers that drew straws to determined who got what realm to rule over. Zeus got the longest straw and was named king of the Gods, mostly for his defeat of his father. He was given the sky to rule over. Poseidon drew the slightly shorter straw and claimed the oceans as his domain. Leaving Hades the shortest straw and the Underworld as his. To anyone else this would have been unfair, seeing as Hades was technically the elder of the three. And who would want the realm of the dead anyway? I would. Because logically he had the most powerful domain, but no one ever looks at it that way. Hades had power at his disposal and I had no doubts he would bring it down upon me if he felt like it.

"You need to stop over thinking this." Nico interrupted my thoughts.

"You need to stop _under _thinking this."

"It's not like I don't have to deal with your dad almost every day, you're getting off easy."

"That's different and you know it. You also know that he wouldn't have sent for me if he didn't have a bigger motive. It's how he operates."

"Percy told you about his meetings with my father didn't he?"

"Yes he did."

No more was said as the boat pulled to the other side of the river and we got out. I threw a smile at Charon and the old stiff nodded his head slightly.

"Until next time brats." he bade farewell and pushed the boat back from the shore, probably to go collect his next passengers.

Nico pulled me close again and I knew we were about to shadow travel again. The cold and darkness took over and the sensation of falling enveloped me. When I felt ground beneath my feet again I pulled away from Nico's chest to observe my new surroundings. I could tell it was the palace, just from the décor alone. Expensive yet deadly looking, regal and terrifying; a true home for Hades. Two thrones stole attention at the back of the room. They were the same as they were before when Persephone had walked me around last time, but one thing was different. It was then I realized that the thrones themselves were occupied.

Persephone was more or less the same as the last time I was here. Her dark brown hair fell in waves around her face and shoulders. Eyes that were fair, young but so ancient, looked straight into mine. Her lips formed a small smile as she rose from her throne that had crystal flowers imbedded into it. Her dark green dress flowed around her as she strode forward, ignoring Nico, and wrapped her arms loosely around me shoulders. What the hell? I didn't think we were friendly or even friend like, but here I was getting hugged by the goddess, Queen of the Underworld. She pressed her face closer into my shoulder, her mouth right next to my ear.

"Watch your words young one, use tact." she whispered so only I could hear. Pulling away she released me, but made no move to return to her throne. "It is very good to see you again Sarah, are you well?" she asks all casual like, as if we all couldn't feel the tenseness coming from the other throne. I have a feeling she was ignoring both men just for kicks. I almost felt confident I could do this. Until _he _stood up as well.

When Percy first described to me what Hades was like I didn't believe him. He told me when they first met that Hades had the appearance of a Gene Simmons rock star that wore leather. That his skin, for a ruler of the dead, wasn't that pale and his head held longer wavy locks. He also told me that it was all a disguise which hid a demon like appearance underneath. Percy told me that the power that radiated off of Hades was intense and dark and _scary_. And boy, was he not kidding!

"Nico, have you lost all your manners? Introduce me to your" he looked me over with eyes that were identical to Nico's, but at the same time opposite. " Friend." he finished after a moment. Like he had to settle for a non offensive term.

I could feel Nico hand press a little harder into the small of my back. I knew he had been nervous, maybe even more so than me, but had refused to show it.

"Father this is Sarah, Sarah Kenneth. Sarah my father Hades."

I bowed my head, because there was no way I could kneel with the little feeling I had left in my legs. "Lord Hades. A pleasure." I turned slightly towards Persephone and bowed my head again. "Lady Persephone, nice to see you again under different circumstances."

She smirked at that. "Yes, it's nice to not have my hounds fall to your blade. It took the guards ages to sweep up all the dust from last time."

And with that little joke the tension, or some of it, drained from the room.

**~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Page Break~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ **

The lounge was as cozy, yet dark as I remembered. It wasn't so long ago that Sophia, Gwen, and I were spread out on the furniture with Nico, going over the details and clues to our quest. I remember panicking and worrying over how we were going to survive the quest, let alone finish it. How much doubt I had. It's weird looking back now that it's done and thinking how much worse it could have been. This time though my friends weren't here. Nico was, with his father and step mother, who just so happened to be a king and queen. Much worse.

"My son speaks of you constantly, mostly while he is supposed to be attending to his duties, and yet, I know so very little about you Sarah." Hades tone was light, but I didn't miss the remark hidden in his words. From is body stiffening, Nico didn't either. He sat next to me on the love seat while Hades stood at the fireplace. Persephone reclined in a chair nearby looking amused by all of this. That bitch.

"There's not much to me my Lord. I'm good with a sword and talk about your son just as much as he does about me." I replied neutrally.

Hades smirked at that. "Now we both know that's not true. My son has never took to someone so much before, there must be something interesting about you, even if I can't see it."

"Father-" Nico started, but I cut him off.  
"He talks of you too my Lord." I smiled sweetly. "He tells me that you're not nearly as big of a headache as my father is, I'm sure that's true even if I can't see it."

His smirk froze, but something in his eyes changed. Darkened.

"Ah yes, how is my nephew? Has he killed any of the brats at that camp yet?"

"Nope, but some of us have a bet going to see how long it takes before Percy becomes a dolphin. Nico is the next one on that bet list."

"Fascinating." his tone implying anything but. " I heard from my son that you had some issues coming into your gifts, is that right? A tantrum that made a girl go mad?"

A tantrum?! Five year olds have tantrums. I no longer had any delusions that Hades was merely trying to provoke me. But to what end, what was the freaking point?

"I wouldn't call it a tantrum. She merely refused to leave me alone when I warned her otherwise. Frankly, she should have just fucked off." Oh yes Sarah, start cursing, that's an excellent impression.

"Maybe you should learn to better control yourself. It could be dangerous to others if you just continue run wild with your powers." he stated, looking down at me. The politeness between us was fading faster with each word. I was starting to care less too.

"I've never 'ran wild' with them sir, in fact, I've saved lives with them. But as you are ruler of the dead, you wouldn't care too much about those details right?" my tone turning to ice.

Nico squeezed my hand. "Sarah maybe you shouldn't-"

"Maybe _he _shouldn't." I cut him off again, but my glare leaves no room for arguments and his mouth snaps close. My eyes go back to Hades who is starting to look as I feel, angry and insulted. "I'm wondering, did Nico tell you that my powers defeated a very powerful and deadly being? Did he say anything about the fact that I'm getting more control, more powerful with each passing day? Or did he casually mention that I insult a god almost three times a day and not give a damn?" I hiss.

Now Persephone was sitting up and looking alert, her eyes shifting back and forth between her husband and myself. But she made no move to intervene. Neither did Nico.

"Now that you brought up the Keres, I'm wondering how much you actually did against them with your 'powers' and not that stone which _you stole from me_." his voice rose and I was on my feet in a second.

"Really? _Now _that_ I_ brought it up? You brought it up, from asking pointless questions you steered this conversation to the Keres and my stone!"

His eyes got really dark as his face contorted with anger.

"Your stone?! That stone was in my vault girl, you are nothing but a thief who thought she had gotten away with her crime. Do you know what the penalty is for stealing from a god?"

"You know what, I don't know." Sarcasm back in action. I put a finger to my chin in mock thought. "Let me ask Thanatos because it was his stone to begin with. And sense it was his and he told me to keep it, that makes it mine. Or if you don't like that" I threw a smirk of my own at him, causing his face to turn redder. "How about finders keepers?"

Suddenly I was being pulled from the room by Nico, He yanked me into the hallway and slammed the wide doors shut, but not before I saw a mass swirl of fire and something that looked to be the stuff of nightmares. I turned to look at him, but the glare on his face told me to shut up and just follow him. For once in the entire night I listened and let him pull me down the hall, away from the furious yells of Hades, the ruler of of the Underworld. And a god I probably shouldn't have pissed off, yet I had. Well, there was no turning back now was there?

**Hello readers! I am so sorry for how long this update took. Things just got a little busy with moving into my new place, then school, then the holidays...but never fear! I'm back and ready to pump out as many chapters as I can before my fingers fall off! This chapter did not come easy to me and I still feel a little iffy posting it. But tell me what you think in a review and let me know. Thank you for being so patient with me guys, I appreciate it. **


	20. Not the Board Game, Not My Policy

**Oh look! Another chapter already here. But before I continue I must note that Percy Jackson and all affiliated characters, plot, and other things DO NOT belong to me. They belong to Rick and his own brand of awesome godly-ness. Thanks!**

Chapter Nineteen: Not the Board Game, Not My Policy

"So that could have gone _better_."  
"Do you really think that?"

"Not one bit. In fact, I can't believe it turned out as good as it did."

I turned my head to look at Nico. "_Good_? I get into an argument with the King of Hell who then turns into a fiery demon-thingy and you think that's _good_?"

"You're still alive aren't you?"

"Point taken."

My head rolled back into position, with my face looking up at the drapes of Nico's four poster bed. He had dragged me in here not even an hour ago after my show down with Hades and tossed me on the bed. And as romantic as tossing me on the bed sounds, it really wasn't. Nico and I had come through the door at a dead run and he sort of just pushed me onto the bed before locking his door. Not that a locked door would keep a god out, but I feel it was more for his peace of mind than anything else. After catching our breaths we both just mutually and silently agreed to lay down. Him on one side and me on the other. The only parts of us touching each other were are hands. Nothing had been said until now.

"Will he come?"

He sighed heavily. "No. If he hasn't yet then I doubt he will tonight. Tomorrow is up in the air though."

"Why don't we just go then?"

I didn't look at him, but I felt the soft smirk grace his face. "Sarah Kenneth, are you actually wanting to run from a fight? I thought I'd never see the day."

My hand left his briefly to smack his stomach. "Don't be stupid. I'm not afraid, concerned yes, but not afraid. I just don't see the point of staying now. He wants something I won't give him and he is angry. Staying here will only make the situation worse."

"Maybe. How about we sleep here tonight and I'll speak with him first thing in the morning. If he hasn't calmed down we'll leave. Sound good?"

"Yeah." I sighed.

Did I really want to stay here? No. But right now I was so emotionally and physically spent that the idea of not moving from the oh so comfortable bed was impossible. I knew Nico felt the same. I wonder if he slept this comfortable back at camp? Maybe because he spent so much time here he was just more at ease and could sleep better. Then a horrible guilt settled in my stomach.

"Nico, will he be mad at you over this?"

"What?"

I sat up. "Because we're together and he hates me. Is he-is being with me going to make it hard for you to come here?"

He sat up to, meeting my eyes. "Sarah my father and I have had our disagreements before. Before the war ended, we were at each others throats constantly. I was so sure he hated my guts and at times I felt the same way about him. Then I convinced him to help the other gods and the war was over. Things got better after that. Nothing is perfect, but we settled in a good place. Yes, he may be mad that I choose to be with someone who doesn't bow at his feet. And he might fight with me about it when I do return here. But Sarah, I wouldn't want you to bow down to him. You're not like other demigods, who are quick to assume the worst or openly disrespect him. You only pushed back when he pushed you first."

"But I don't want to be the cause of a rift between you two!"

"He's making the rift. This is the line Sarah."

"Why does it have to be?"

"Because you're worth it. Always."

The kiss was slow and sweet, but also made me feel protected. It wasn't like the ones before where passion and want had been the drive. Even though we were locked in his bedroom, on his bed, and not likely to be disturbed, I knew nothing more than kissing would happen tonight. And as we broke apart I knew Nico realized it too. He got up from the bed and walked over to a wardrobe in the corner. Quickly opening a bottom drawer he pulled out two pairs of sweatpants and a couple of shirts. He tossed the dark gray sweats to me with a Green Day t-shirt.

"You can use those as pjs. I don't have a lot of options. If you really want something else I could get a servant to get something from Persephone."

"Thanks, but these are perfect." That and I was slightly fearful what that sometimes bitch would send. Lingerie most likely.

True, they would be a bit baggy on me, but they looked comfy. I reached for the bottom of my shirt before I realized that Nico was still watching me.

"Well?"

"Well what?" he asked innocently, but his smile gave it all away.

"Nice try Goth Boy. Turn around."

He attempted to pout and while it was cute, it was also useless.

"Nico, the first time you see me naked is not going to be under your father's insanely large roof. End of."

The pout vanished in seconds and he looked stunned. Then his smile turned anything but innocent. "So I will get to see you naked eventually?"

My face was burning. "Just turn around!" my voice slightly higher than normal.

With a quiet laugh at my distress he took his clothes and strutted into what I assume is the bathroom. Making quick work of my shoes, pants, and shirt I put the pjs on. Folding my other outfit and putting in inside the wardrobe I went back to the bed just as Nico poked his head out. His hand covering his eyes.

"Is thou virtue covered milady?"

"Dork and yes."

He joined me on the bed and we crawled under the covers. With a flick of his hand the lights went out. His arms wrapped around me and pulled me close. Despite everything that had happened, I found drifting off into sleep easy.

**~*Page Break*~**

My eyes cracked open, meeting only the dark. My brain was still fuzzed over by sleep, but one thing was obvious. I had to use the bathroom. Getting up I waited for my eyes to adjust to the dark as much as they could, making out the slight shapes of furniture around the room. After locating and using the bathroom, only stubbing my toes once on a side table, I made my way back to the bedroom. Just as I turned to go back to the bed I heard a noise, footsteps. For a moment I thought Nico had gotten up too, but looking over I saw the lump that told me he was still dead to the world. Then the footsteps came again, I realized they were coming from outside the room, in the hall. I tip toed over to the door and opened it slightly to look out into the hall. I saw nothing, but being the paranoid person I was I went out into the hall anyway.

The hall was lit with torches and were eerily quiet. The phrase 'silent as a tomb' crossed my mind before I heard footsteps again. I went down the hall where the footsteps seemed to e coming from. But after turning half a dozen times I found no one and the noises vanished. This is also when I realized I had no clue how to get back to Nico's room. Damn it. Looking around hoping to see something familiar my eyes landed on many paintings. Definitely none I had seen before, which sucked because that meant I was truly lost, but fascinated by the pictures. They were obviously very old and done by different people, god and human alike, but one stood out to me. It was framed in gold and showed a beautiful man with black hair and gray eyes. He held fire in his left hand and a human man, much smaller of course, in his right. Mountains and storm clouds surrounded him in the background.

"What are you doing here little thief?"

I tried so hard not to, but my nerves had been jumbled since yesterday, and so my body jumped at the hard tone.

"I could ask you the same question." I put as much confidence in my voice as possible. It still sounded terrible.

Hades just sneered at me. "This is my palace, I can be anywhere I wish. You, however, are lucky to still be here. And breathing."

I rolled my eyes. "Persephone talked you down didn't she?"

"How dare you-" he started.

"It wasn't an insult. It was an observation. Immortal or not, I don't think anyone would want to get on her bad side. Not even you."

I turned to look back at the painting. I could feel Hades stare burning into me, his anger still there, but at least he had shut up.

"Looking for another treasure to steal?"

Spoke too soon.

"Oh yes, I came out into the hallway in pajamas, because they're my chosen 'stealing outfit', and plan to make off with a painting that looks to weigh well over a hundred pounds." I muttered sarcastically. "And where would I hide it? In my bra?"

"You seem to forget who you speak to little thief. I am a god and one that controls what becomes of you after your pathetic life ends."

I shrugged. "I won't apologize if that's what you're after. When I bump players in 'SORRY' I don't apologize because it's what I intended. Wouldn't do it then, won't do it now. As for death, I never thought about afterlife before I came to camp and I won't change that now. That's in the future and I can only control what's happening now." I turned back to him and met his stare head on. "That being said. I care very much about your son."

Hades opened his mouth, but I held my hand up.

"Please Lord Hades, let me speak. I care about him, I _love _him. I want him _happy_. And I would do anything to ensure that happiness. If I thought that leaving him would be better for him I would have left already. Sure, it would break my heart, it would destroy me. But I would do it, for his sake. You may think that this anger towards me is only hurting me, but it's not. It's hurting him too! Don't think for one moment that if me giving you the stone would make that anger vanish that I wouldn't find a way to do it. Because I would, but I'm not stupid. It's more than just the stone. And I don't care. I don't care what you think of me, trust me, I've heard much worse than 'thief'. So I'm asking you only one thing. That if we could at least pretend to be civil towards each other for his sake, I'd be grateful."

He didn't say anything for moment, his eyes searching my face for a trace of decent. I really didn't know how this was going to go. But I was ready for anything.

"And why should I? Just to make you feel more comfortable?"

I snorted. "If I wanted comfortable I would just leave. No, you should because Nico is your son. That should be enough."

He said nothing but looked back towards the painting.

"What do you make of this painting?" his tone wasn't friendly or casual, just not as tense as it was moments before.

Well that shifted the conversation fast. "It's well done, but I don't know what it's supposed to be of."

"He is known as Prometheus, titan of Forethought. A slippery little snake if you ask me."

I had no clue who that was, titans were beings that people at camp didn't talk about. And no one seemed willing to speak of them either.

"What's the deal with the painting?"

"It was done by a mortal artist long ago. It came into my possession hundreds of years after his death. Many mortals worshiped him as they did my fellow gods and I. You see, Prometheus was the creator of mankind. He made humans in the image of titans, but smaller, weaker. One of the few things that scum ever did right."

I raised an eyebrow. "So I have competition for your hatred? I'm horribly offended."

"Do you want to know or not thief?" he spat.

"Yes." I said through clenched teeth.

"Then shut up. It is because of him that mortals have come as far as they have. He tricked my brother Zeus once into taking the poor part of an ox for offerings. That most overlooked. Then he got cocky. You see, he cared for his creations, more than he should have. Out of that care he used his cleverness and stole fire from Olympus. He then gave it to the mortals. This caused them to progress and become stronger."

"Zeus didn't like that did he?"

He didn't snap at me for interrupting and merely continued. "Zeus punished him for his actions by chaining him to a rock. A vulture would eat his liver everyday and it would regrow every night. Eventually he was freed, but that's another story. This painting is to show the mortal's love for their creator and the sacrifices he made for them. I believe he was just a weak hearted fool that gave a gift that was more trouble than it was worth."

And right then my heart stilled and I couldn't breath.

"Gift?"

Hades had apparently lost interest in our conversation a she was walking away when I looked to my side. But I heard him before he rounded the corner.

"Yes, fire was considered the first gift given to the mortals."


	21. Butterflies and New Days Ahead

**Hello again guys! Sorry for the long wait, but I had no idea how to proceed with this chapter. So I apologize in advance for the choppy work, but once this is done I have the plot done for the next few chapters! Anyway I've bored you enough with this so let's get on with the show.**

Chapter Twenty: Butterflies and New Days Ahead

Breakfast the next morning was tense to say the least. Nico had deemed it safe enough for us to stay, but I wasn't sure if my talk with Hades last night had any impact with the Lord. Sitting at this ridiculously large table with only the four of us as occupants in total silence gave me some hope that it had. Hades hadn't said two words to me yet and even managed to throw his dirty looks at me only when he knew his son wasn't looking. The whole scene might have been less awkward if there wasn't a plate of food in front of me. Yes, to a normal person this would have been a polite gesture, a welcome one even. But this was the Underworld, and both the king and queen of this place were testing me. Well, not testing per say, but reminding me every second of what I was getting myself into. You see, if you eat food that is from the Underworld you are tied to the place. The plate of fruit and wheat cereal was a message and it made me feel uncomfortable. I loved Nico, but I was in no way taking this step yet or if I would at all. And everyone at the table knew it.

Nico for his part wasn't eating either. Whether it was because he didn't want me to be the only one not eating or if he just didn't eat here I wasn't sure, but I welcomed it all the same. This was just one of the reasons I knew Nico was right for me. He just seemed to pick up on things without me saying a word at all. If only the guy had some tact.

"Well we better get going. I have a feeling Mr. D is going to notice you gone eventually." he said to me as he stood from the table. I was quickly behind him. I didn't want to be here another minute.

Persephone looked up at us with seemingly innocent eyes. "Already? You both didn't even touch your breakfast." That bitch.

"Thank you, but I tend to skip breakfast most days." I said just as innocent. Two can play this game. And that was really all I was to her, a form of amusement.

Nico put his arm around my waist lightly as he turned his attention to Hades. "I'll see you in a couple days father."

Hades merely nodded his head slightly, but he wasn't looking at his son. Those dark eyes were fixed on me. My instincts wanted me to look away, but my pride was stronger and had me looking straight back. Somewhere in the back of my mind I wondered if my power could drive the Lord of the Underworld mad. Out of sheer force of will I broke from those thoughts and cleared my suddenly dry throat.

"It was...interesting to meet you Lord Hades." I said shortly. The less I said to him the better, no reason to give him any ammo to snap at me with. I turned slightly to Persephone. "Nice to see you again my lady."

"Oh I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again Sarah. Nico you must bring her back again soon." she replied and I could just see her mind racing at thought of me returning. Yep, it's official, I'm her new toy. Hopefully she's not the types to play with Barbie dolls then pop their heads of when they tire of them.

Suddenly the arm at my waist tightened and I was being pulled into Nico's chest as the shadows cloaked us. The familiar pull at my stomach told me that we were shadow traveling, the intense cold also helped. When I could see again I was met by the sight of the inside of my cabin.

"Why did you do that? I thought we would walk out, not that I'm complaining. It made leaving easier." I asked as I stepped away. Looking around I noticed the place was empty except for Nico and myself. Pollux must be at archery by now. And he would be wondering where I was. Maybe.

He shrugged as he took a seat on my bed. "Didn't want to take any chances. The longer we were there the higher the chance of you and my dad getting into a death match. And, I love you and your ass kicking skills when I say this, you can't take him Sarah."

"Agreed." I mumbled, hating that he was right. Not only was Hades a god, but he was the god over the realm of the dead. How is a girl to compete with that? Quickly rummaging through my dresser I grabbed a pair of shorts and a green tank top and vanished into the bathroom. Making fast work of brushing my teeth and redoing my hair, I changed my outfit before looking into the mirror. I looked tired, not raccoon eyes tired yet, but dark circles were starting to form under my eyes. I guess staying up late and roaming around a palace in the middle of the night didn't help sleeping matters at all. Or maybe this was how you started looking after spending time in the Underworld. Shaking my head I pulled my old clothes off the floor and left the bathroom. After throwing my clothes into the hamper I turned back to Nico who was staring at me.

"What?"

"Nothing. It just never ceases to amaze me how easily beautiful you are." he gives me a smile and a wink.

"I think you have me mixed up with Sophia."

"And it also shocks me how you don't even realize how beautiful you are."

"A butterfly can't see it's own wings." I said under my breath. It was a habit really, one I gained in childhood. Being a kid with weird eyes, even if most didn't realize that was the reason they picked on me, at school made me a target. Mom would always tell me after that I was very pretty, only I couldn't see it because I was like a butterfly. When I asked what that had to do with it she smiled and told me that a butterfly's wings are very beautiful, but the butterfly itself can't see them because their wings are always behind them. So they have to rely on others to tell them about their wings. Only thing was that I was the one butterfly that still couldn't take what people said at face value.

"Say what?" his eyebrows pulling together in confusion.

"Nothing, just talking to myself." I grabbed my sword holder and strapped it around my waist before slipping the sword in. "Ready to go?"

"Not at all. Let's see what chaos happens when we're not around." he deadpanned as we walked to the door.

"Seriously? We've been gone one day, what could have possibly happened?"

Nico's hand had grabbed the doorknob when he stilled. Turning his head to me I saw nothing joking or hinting at teasing on his face.

"You'd be surprised what could happen in an hour, let alone a day."

His voice, the somewhat deep voice that I had come to enjoy, was low and sad. Filled with a echo of depression and anger. I gently reached my hand out and placed in on his shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I had a feeling that he did, but at the same time he wanted to keep me in the dark. Like he didn't want his past to taint or endanger our future. I knew so little of Nico's past and before it hadn't bothered me. Or maybe that was the tunnel vision again. I looked into his dark eyes, usually filled with a glint of light, that now only held a searing coldness. "We can stay in here if you want to."

Nico only looked back at me with a blank expression, but I could tell he was weighing his options.

"Nah, not right now."

As if a spell had been lifted, time moved forward again. He turned the knob and opened the door. The midday sun was bright and filled the cabin with a warming glow. It seemed to thaw him somehow. I opened my mouth to ask if he was sure, but he stopped me.

"Maybe another time, I just-I can't, not now."

I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Alright. Another time, but Nico, if you never want to I understand. There's things you don't know about me. Because I don't want to talk about them either. I get it."

And I did. Somethings in life needed to go unsaid, unexplained, even from those you care about. Unless it was a life and death situation I wouldn't push Nico to talk. I know I would hate it. We stood there right outside the door for who knows how long, just looking into each others eyes like the rest of the world had faded away. It was only when we heard shouting coming from the distance did the moment break.

"Come on Violet Eyes, lets go see what the fuss is about."

"Right behind you Goth Boy."

We took off at a jog, Nico leading in front and me following after him, just like I always did. And just like I always will.


End file.
